What does the coronavirus pandemic mean for The Crown season 4?
Here's what we know about the effect of COVID-19 on the production of Netflix's flagship show
As coronavirus brings much of the UK (and the world) to a grinding halt, broadcasters and TV production companies have been forced to make some difficult decisions – suspending or pushing back filming for shows including Line of Duty, Peaky Blinders and The Witcher.
But there is some good news for fans of The Crown...
Will The Crown season 4 continue filming?
Update: on 18th March 2020, a Netflix spokesperson told RadioTimes.com: "The Crown has completed principal photography on season four, having pulled the final shoot date forward by a few days."
This follows reports in Deadline earlier in the week that filming was almost complete. The publication reported: "Left Bank Pictures has decided to forge ahead with a final week of filming on season four of the Netflix royal drama, with the production company simply needing to tie-up loose ends on the series."
Will The Crown season 4 be delayed?
That's a harder question to answer.
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While Netflix has yet to confirm an exact air date, we had been predicting that season four would be released in November or December 2020 – a year after season three came out. After all, filming of both seasons three and four took place back-to-back, and a March 2020 wrap date would theoretically leave plenty of time to get the drama ready to air by the end of the year.
However, even if filming is completed on schedule, at this point it's still unclear what the impact of coronavirus could be on the post-production process. Will editing studios remain open? What about recording the music, or finalising the CGI? How much can be done remotely? How long will the pandemic last?
We'll be keeping an eye out to see how Netflix's flagship drama copes in the coming months – and whether the current health crisis will lead to major delays.
What will happen in season 4 of The Crown?
Oscar-winner Olivia Colman (Queen Elizabeth II) and Tobias Menzies (the Duke of Edinburgh) will both be reprising their roles for the fourth season of the show, alongside Helena Bonham Carter (Princess Margaret), Josh O'Connor (Prince Charles) and Erin Doherty (Princess Anne).
As the next season of the drama is set to pick up around 1977 and take us through to around 1990, we'll also be introduced to Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (Gillian Anderson) and Princess Diana (Emma Corrin).
- Read more: Everything we know so far about The Crown season 4
