Soap star Claire Sweeney made a stylish appearance at a major premiere in Bradford this week, generating excitement for the upcoming historic crossover between two of ITV's biggest shows.
Red Carpet Glamour in Bradford
The actress, famed for playing Cassie Plummer in Emmerdale, attended the premiere of the special episode Corriedale at the National Science and Media Museum on Tuesday. The 54-year-old looked effortlessly chic in a sophisticated all-black ensemble that certainly turned heads.
Her standout outfit featured a tweed jacket with elegant fur-trimmed cuffs, which she paired with a black midi dress adorned with a striking column of gold buttons. She completed the look with black tights and a pair of classic black heels.
Sweeney was joined on the red carpet by fellow ITV star James Cartwright, who plays Theo Silverton. The pair appeared in high spirits as they happily posed for photographs together ahead of the screening.
Everything You Need to Know About the 'Corriedale' Crossover
This special hour-long episode marks a monumental television event, merging the worlds of Emmerdale and Coronation Street for the very first time. Corriedale is scheduled to air at 8pm on Friday, January 5.
In a departure from the usual schedule, the episode will not be available early on ITVX on that day. However, the regular half-hour episodes of each soap will be. Emmerdale will air at 7pm and Coronation Street at 7.30pm, with both becoming available on ITVX from 7am that morning.
The episode promises a massive cast from both soaps. New Coronation Street characters confirmed for the drama include Kit, Carla, and Asha, alongside James Bailey (played by Jason Callender). From Emmerdale, viewers can expect to see Cain, Charity, Robert, Jacob, and Joe, as well as Sarah Sugden (Katie Hill).
They will join a host of previously announced stars, including David Platt, Aaron Dingle, Lisa Swain (Vicky Myers), Liam Cavanagh (Jonny McPherson), and Tracy Barlow (Kate Ford).
A New Era for ITV Soaps
This unique episode is designed as a celebration of the soap genre and will launch ITV's new 'soap power hour' scheduling pattern for its two flagship programmes. The project has generated immense buzz since an explosive trailer was released earlier this month.
When the crossover was first announced, ITV stated: 'The distinctive worlds of Emmerdale and Coronation Street will merge for one night only... The episode will be self-contained, but the consequences of the high-stakes drama will have repercussions for both communities.'
Iain MacLeod, ITV Executive Producer for Continuing Drama, expressed his enthusiasm, saying: 'It's beyond exciting that filming is underway on Corriedale... As a soap fan myself, I think my head is going to explode when the episode airs next year. It will be mind-blowing, historical and unmissable.'
Filming for the groundbreaking special began back in October, setting the stage for what is anticipated to be one of the most talked-about television events of the new year.
