Stars of Coronation Street and Emmerdale are reportedly taking on side hustles to supplement their income after ITV reduced episode counts and implemented budget cuts earlier this year. The two soaps, both flagship programmes for the broadcaster, saw a reduction in episodes, while ITV daytime staples Loose Women and Lorraine also faced cuts.
Side Hustles as a Solution
A source told The Sun: "Doing brand deals is very complicated because of ITV rules but music is much easier. A lot of them are very gifted and they love it, so it makes sense for them to do gigs on the side. They aren’t playing arenas or anything like that, it’s always very small pubs and bars and the people there often have no idea that they are also on the country’s biggest soaps."
Cait Fitton, who has played Rovers barmaid Lauren Bolton on Coronation Street since 2022, initially found fame singing on Britain's Got Talent and is often seen performing in pubs, with clips shared on social media. An insider said she "loves" her job on the soap but her gigging can be a "great little earner."
Emmerdale Stars Join In
Joe-Warren Plant, 24, who plays Jacob Gallagher on Emmerdale, recently worked in a Blackpool pub pulling pints alongside filming his role as a student nurse. He has since quit that job and been spotted working as a DJ, taking inspiration from co-star Jeff Hordley, who has played Cain Dingle since 2000. Hordley has DJed for years, previously at Manchester's Rock 'N' Roll bar.
Speaking to The Sun, the source added: "Joe has seen how well Jeff does from his DJing and he’s really passionate about it too. He often asks Jeff for advice and is keen to make a real go of it. They are always thinking about the next thing just in case their contracts don’t get renewed."
Salaries and Budget Context
Coronation Street salaries are not publicly known, but reports suggest top earners like Jack P Shepherd (David Platt) and William Roache (Ken Barlow) earn around £250,000 a year. Smaller parts reportedly command £400 per episode. At Emmerdale, long-serving actors like Claire King (Kim Tate) are said to receive £230,000, with Chris Chittell (Eric Pollard) and Emma Atkins (Charity Dingle) earning similar figures.
The Mirror has contacted representatives for comment.
