Lee Rayner, a seasoned Head of Production for Coronation Street, is set to bid farewell (Image: ITV)
Lee Rayner, a seasoned Head of Production for Coronation Street, is set to bid farewell to the iconic cobbles after more than a decade, as he reportedly makes a switch to a rival soap.
Having been a stalwart at ITV’s since 2011, Rayner initially joined as an assistant director, then stepped up as production manager in 2013, before ascending to the role of Head of Production in 2021.
His impressive resume boasts prior involvement in a host of other television series, such as Death in Paradise, Doctors, and The Bill.
Now, Rayner is making a significant career move from ITV to , taking his talents to Hollyoaks. Broadcast magazine has revealed that Lee will succeed Colette Chard, who is departing to work on a children’s drama produced by Lime Pictures, the same company behind Hollyoaks.
In a heartfelt statement, Lee expressed his excitement: “I am thrilled to be embarking on a new adventure at Lime Pictures as head of production for Hollyoaks and helping to deliver such an engaging high-end drama.”
He added, “I’m also very excited to reunite once again with the incredibly talented Hannah Cheers and really looking forward to getting to know and working with the production team, who have an industry-wide reputation as highly-skilled filmmakers”, reports .
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Head of Production Lee Rayner has worked on Coronation Street since 2011 (Image: ITV/Channel 4)
John Whittle, Managing Director of Lime Pictures, also commented on the appointment, saying: “Continuing drama is a fantastic genre to work in and its production model is crucial to its success. We are delighted that Lee is coming to us from a much-loved programme, as well-oiled as , at delivering ambitious drama with a tightly moving schedule.”
Lee may be embracing new opportunities with open arms, but it seems the atmosphere is tense among the cast due to a spate of recent dismissals.
“There’s a WhatsApp group which has been pinging with messages about concerns of where the axe will fall next. It’s a tough time on the soap and it’s filtering down,” revealed a source to The Sun, highlighting the cast’s anxiety over job security.
The source continued, suggesting that further cuts might be made to retain the show’s top earners: “Filming is tough. One person moaned they were ‘worked like dogs.'”.
Financial strains are reportedly at the heart of the issue, with insiders citing a significant budget crunch as the reason behind the firings.
” is on its knees financially and bosses are being forced to make hard decisions” an insider disclosed, pointing to skyrocketing TV production costs and a dwindling advertising market.
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“The cast are not happy but ITV have no choice but to slash costs,” added the source.
However, despite the current concerns, another insider assured The Mirror of promising prospects for the beloved soap, stating, “Fans can ignore any idea that within a decade the soap will be gone, because it’s in no way on the brink of collapse.”
They suggested that this period of change could lead to new opportunities: “One door closes and another opens” for the show.
The soap opera is bracing for a thrilling ride as an insider teases: “There’s some really exciting twists ahead for our favourite characters and couples, with a massive stunt that will no doubt bring the drama, as well as some hard-hitting storylines bringing some of soap’s biggest characters to the forefront,” they said.
The source further added, “It really is a case of one door closes and another opens in that some familiar faces will be leaving, but others will be back – and the new faces could be just what the show needs. There’s so much ahead so the idea the end of is in sight is bonkers.”
The promise of groundbreaking plots and major character developments continues to cement the show’s enduring appeal.
Express Online have reached out to ITV for comment.