Iain Macleod has begun teasing just how punishing the filming process was for an upcoming major storyline involving Coronation Street and Emmerdale, describing it as one of the most demanding shoots his team has faced. While keeping key details under wraps, he talked about the intensity, pressure, and sheer difficulty of pulling off something so technically and emotionally challenging.
Iain Macleod Opens Up About the Scale of the Challenge
Macleod explained that the storyline pushed production well beyond the usual demands of soap filming. He suggested that the ambition behind it required months of preparation and constant coordination, especially given that two established soap worlds had to be carefully aligned without compromising their individual identities. He indicated that the difficulty was about execution.
Every decision had to work for both shows, and that level of responsibility weighed heavily throughout the process. Macleod made it clear that this was not a situation where the team could rely on routine or familiarity. He also hinted at how physically draining the shoot became, with long nights and unpredictable conditions adding pressure. According to him, the challenge tested endurance across the board from start to finish.
Duncan Foster Details the Reality of the Shoot
Director Duncan Foster expanded on Macleod’s comments by describing the shoot as increasingly nerve-racking. He explained that being embedded in the project for around six months meant he knew every line and beat, which only heightened the pressure to get everything right. Foster revealed that filming took place across 14 nights in total. Two of those nights focused on pre-driving sequences that viewers will see briefly in the build-up episodes.
These moments were also adapted into a specially created title sequence, using approaching headlights to establish the isolated and dangerous setting. He noted that weather, which often disrupts large outdoor shoots, surprisingly caused minimal issues. Out of 12 nights dedicated to the crash itself, rain fell only once. Even then, the team paused filming, waited for the worst of the rain to pass, and still completed the most complex sequence, including the explosion.
Macleod also teased that the most stressful part came toward the end of filming, when the production aimed to capture a sunrise over the aftermath. Foster confirmed they had only one opportunity to get the shot, with a single night-to-morning window available. He recalled standing in a field at around 4 a.m., freezing and unable to feel his feet. Meanwhile, the cast and crew watched the sky for any sign of cloud cover. When the shot finally came together, Foster described it as an incredible relief. Keep following Soap Opera Daily so you don’t miss any behind-the-scenes Coronation Street updates.