'Emmerdale' to be filmed in HD from April

Emmerdale will be filmed on high definition cameras from April.

ITV Productions is investing £560,000 in new equipment as part of a transition to all-HD, tapeless production for the soap.

It will not mean any change to Emmerdale's broadcast format but Paul Bennett, director of resources in the North for the company, admitted it could affect the way it looks.

"When the cameras arrive proper we'll be reviewing our whole lighting set-up and checking the whole look of Emmerdale," he said. "We might choose to use different filtering or lighting set-ups.

"We're very aware that it will subtly change. We must continue the product that the viewer is used to. Our intention is not to force a look change on the production. From our resources point of view we must re-produce it."

The first episodes filmed in HD are expected to be aired in June.

Bennett said the change would include moving to all-digital rather than tapes. He said the whole process including post-production would be HD "within the next two to three years".

Coronation Street will remain filmed in standard definition for now but will be changed in coming years.

"We're going to accelerate the cycle as we need to be high def in the next couple of years," Bennett told Broadcast.