The Crown series five filming is halted as eight crew members test positive for coronavirus... days after Blair family were first seen on set
- Filming was halted on Wednesday after eight crew members tested positive
- On Thursday night, Netflix confirmed: 'The Crown finished filming one day earlier than planned'
- Production for series five of the drama will resume next year and will cover the 1990s
- Bertie Carvel, 44, and Lydia Leonard, 40, were pictured on set for the first time as Tony Blair and wife Cherie
- They filmed earlier this week the Blairs casting their votes in the 1997 election that swept labour to power
- Labour won by a landslide majority, making a net gain of 146 seats and winning 43.2% of the vote
The Crown has become the latest victim of Covid, days after the Blair family were seen on set for the first time.
Filming of the new series was halted on Wednesday after at least eight crew members tested positive, a source close to the Netflix hit told the Daily Mail.
On Thursday night, Netflix confirmed: 'The Crown finished filming one day earlier than planned for the Christmas break following a few positive cases within the team, thus ensuring others' safety and so that everyone on production can enjoy a festive break with their loved ones.'
The coronavirus outbreak on set comes after Bertie Carvel, 44, and Lydia Leonard, 40, were pictured for the first time as Tony Blair and wife Cherie in Kent on Tuesday.
![Pictured: The Crown has become the latest victim of Covid, days after the Blair family were seen on set for the first time as they filmed scenes in Kent on Tuesday (pictured Bertie Carvel and Lydia Leonard as Tony Blair and wife Cherie)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/12/17/08/51912341-10320319-The_Crown_has_become_the_latest_victim_of_Covid_pictured_Lydia_L-a-9_1639728758338.jpg)
Pictured: The Crown has become the latest victim of Covid, days after the Blair family were seen on set for the first time as they filmed scenes in Kent on Tuesday (pictured Bertie Carvel and Lydia Leonard as Tony Blair and wife Cherie)
![His walk to PM: Tony Blair cast his vote in the 1997 Election at the Community Centre in Trimdon Colliery, Durham alongside his family (pictured left to right; Cherie Blair, daughter Kathryn, sons Nicky and Euan and Tony)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/12/17/08/51912715-10320319-image-m-15_1639728859097.jpg)
His walk to PM: Tony Blair cast his vote in the 1997 Election at the Community Centre in Trimdon Colliery, Durham alongside his family (pictured left to right; Cherie Blair, daughter Kathryn, sons Nicky and Euan and Tony)
The actor bore a striking resemblance to the former PM as The Crown filmed the Blairs casting their votes in the 1997 election that swept labour to power.
It marked a poignant moment as Tony, then 43, became the youngest person to be prime minister since Lord Liverpool became PM aged 42 in 1812.
The scene, filmed in Kent rather than County Durham, showed Tony and Cherie setting off to vote with their three children; daughter Kathryn and sons Nicky and Euan, in tow.
The cast wore near identical costumes to those that the Blairs wore when walking to the Community Centre in Trimdon Colliery, with Bertie rocking a bouffant wig and red tie, and production bringing in a huge cast of journalists and photographers to recreate the media frenzy.
![PM: Bertie Carvel, 44, (pictured) one of this country's most acclaimed actors, is to portray Tony Blair in The Crown](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/12/17/08/51913291-10320319-Bertie_Carvel_44_pictured_one_of_this_country_s_most_acclaimed_a-a-66_1639731533216.jpg)
![Pictured: Tony Blair](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/12/17/08/51912771-10320319-Pictured_right_Prime_Minister_Tony_Blair_speaking_after_the_deat-m-65_1639731526930.jpg)
Spitting image: The cast wore near identical costumes to those that the Blairs wore when walking to the Community Centre in Trimdon Colliery, with Bertie rocking a bouffant wig and red tie
![New role: Lydia transformed into Cherie as she arrived on set in the brown white collared shirt and matching trousers](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/12/17/09/51913171-10320319-image-m-79_1639731710336.jpg)
![Poignant moment: Cherie Blair in 1997](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/12/17/09/51912771-10320319-image-a-80_1639731715456.jpg)
New role: Lydia (L) transformed into Cherie (R) as she arrived on set in the brown white collared shirt and matching trousers
![The Crown series 5: The coronavirus outbreak on set comes after Bertie, 44, and Lydia, 40, were pictured for the first time as Tony Blair and wife Cherie](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/12/17/08/51913169-10320319-image-a-36_1639729955956.jpg)
The Crown series 5: The coronavirus outbreak on set comes after Bertie, 44, and Lydia, 40, were pictured for the first time as Tony Blair and wife Cherie
![Action: The scene, filmed in Kent rather than County Durham, showed Tony and Cherie setting off to vote with their three children in tow](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/12/17/08/51913173-10320319-image-a-49_1639729988985.jpg)
Action: The scene, filmed in Kent rather than County Durham, showed Tony and Cherie setting off to vote with their three children in tow
The 1997 election saw Labour win by a landslide majority, making a net gain of 146 seats and winning 43.2% of the vote.
The overall result of the election ended 18 years of Conservative government, in their worst defeat since 1906.
The party suffered a loss of 178 seats, despite winning 30.7% of the vote. Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats, under the leadership of Paddy Ashdown, made a net gain of 28 seats, winning 16.8% of the vote.
The fifth series of The Crown will air next November. It features Charles and Diana's marriage split and the lead up to her death.
![1997 election: It marked a poignant scene as in May of that year Tony Blair, then 43, was the youngest person to become prime minister since Lord Liverpool in 1812](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/12/17/08/51913165-10320319-image-a-43_1639729971192.jpg)
1997 election: It marked a poignant scene as in May of that year Tony Blair, then 43, was the youngest person to become prime minister since Lord Liverpool in 1812
![Remarkable: Lydia got into character waving at fans as the couple made their vote. The 1997 election saw Labour win by a landslide majority, making a net gain of 146 seats and winning 43.2% of the vote](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/12/17/08/51913167-10320319-image-a-41_1639729966161.jpg)
Remarkable: Lydia got into character waving at fans as the couple made their vote. The 1997 election saw Labour win by a landslide majority, making a net gain of 146 seats and winning 43.2% of the vote
![Monumental moment: The party suffered defeat with a loss of 178 seats, despite winning 30.7% of the vote. Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats, under the leadership of Paddy Ashdown, made a net gain of 28 seats, winning 16.8% of the vote](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/12/17/08/51913163-10320319-image-a-45_1639729975860.jpg)
Monumental moment: The party suffered defeat with a loss of 178 seats, despite winning 30.7% of the vote. Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats, under the leadership of Paddy Ashdown, made a net gain of 28 seats, winning 16.8% of the vote
Stepping in the PM's seat is Bertie, whose previous roles have ranged from Nick Clegg to Rupert Murdoch to the philandering former husband of TV's Doctor Foster.
It is a giant role for the actor, who possesses an uncanny, chameleon-esque ability to disappear into his characters.
Lydia, meanwhile, played Jackie O - the widow of assassinated US President John F Kennedy, who married a Greek shipping tycoon - in the 2010 West End play Onassis.
![What's in store: The Crown wants to examine more of the constitutional crisis behind the scenes; and how the Queen was said to have felt bullied by her Prime Minister into making a public declaration about Diana](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/12/17/08/51913177-10320319-image-a-53_1639729999110.jpg)
What's in store: The Crown wants to examine more of the constitutional crisis behind the scenes; and how the Queen was said to have felt bullied by her Prime Minister into making a public declaration about Diana
![PM: Blair famously hailed Diana as 'The People's Princess', while the Queen deemed her death a private matter and was not prepared for the national outpouring of emotion from the public](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/12/17/08/51913175-10320319-image-a-50_1639729994311.jpg)
PM: Blair famously hailed Diana as 'The People's Princess', while the Queen deemed her death a private matter and was not prepared for the national outpouring of emotion from the public
![Media buzz: Production enlisted a huge cast of photographers and journalists as they family walked to the polling station](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/12/17/08/51913179-10320319-image-a-54_1639730005086.jpg)
Media buzz: Production enlisted a huge cast of photographers and journalists as they family walked to the polling station
The actress is most well known for her role as Suranne Jones' lesbian lover in Gentleman Jack.
The Crown's creative team have a draft script written by Peter Morgan that explores Diana's death in a car crash in Paris in August 1997, three months after Blair was elected to No 10 following a landslide victory.
Peter has been very clear the episode will not show the actual crash. Intriguingly, though, it will explore a different angle from the one depicted in the 2006 film The Queen, which starred Helen Mirren as the monarch and Michael Sheen as Blair.
![Politician: It is a giant role for Bertie (pictured as Nick Clegg in Coalition), who possesses an uncanny, chameleon-esque ability to disappear into his characters](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/12/17/09/49774321-10320319-Politician_It_is_a_giant_role_for_Bertie_pictured_as_Nick_Clegg_-m-100_1639733507530.jpg)
![Role: Bertie pictured in Doctor Foster alongside Suranne Jones](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/12/17/09/51914649-10320319-image-a-101_1639733513476.jpg)
Politician: It is a giant role for Bertie (pictured left as Nick Clegg in Coalition, right in Doctor Foster), who possesses an uncanny, chameleon-esque ability to disappear into his characters
![Stage star: Lydia played Jackie O - the widow of assassinated US President John F Kennedy - in the 2010 West End play Onassis](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/12/17/09/51914293-10320319-Stage_star_Lydia_also_played_Jackie_O_the_widow_of_assassinated_-m-94_1639733188813.jpg)
Stage star: Lydia played Jackie O - the widow of assassinated US President John F Kennedy - in the 2010 West End play Onassis
Blair famously hailed Diana as 'The People's Princess', while the Queen deemed her death a private matter and was not prepared for the national outpouring of emotion from the public.
The Crown wants to examine more of the constitutional crisis behind the scenes; and how the Queen was said to have felt bullied by her Prime Minister into making a public declaration about Diana.
'We don't want to go the same route as the film,' an executive on the production confided.
'There are aspects of the clash between the Queen and Blair that haven't really been aired yet. It's being so sensitively handled because of Diana's sons — and the Queen . . . and Charles.
'Just making it is seen as controversial. And then we have to show it.'
![Drama: Lydia is most well known for her role as Suranne Jones' lesbian lover in Gentleman Jack](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/12/17/09/51914191-10320319-Drama_Lydia_is_most_well_known_for_her_role_as_Suranne_Jones_les-a-95_1639733198816.jpg)
Drama: The actress is most well known for her role as Suranne Jones' lesbian lover in Gentleman Jack
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