Twitter ye not! Coronation Street stars told not to plug products or companies in Tweets after rash of 'endorsements'
By Jody Thompson
Last updated at 12:56 PM on 5th July 2011
Coronation Street stars have been given a shot across the bows warning them not to use Twitter to earn extra money and freebies by plugging companies and products.
A company-wide email was sent to all cast members last week warning them against using Tweets to promote businesses outside of the show.
A spokesperson told Mail Online: 'Guidelines have been issued to all of the cast, because companies are starting to use them (members of the cast who Tweet) as a marketing tool.'
Guidelines: Brooke Vincent, pictured here on holiday in Spain last month, was sent guidelines along with the rest of the Coronation Street cast warning against promoting products on their Twitter accounts
'It's as much to protect them. Some of them have been using it quite innocently, saying they've been somewhere or they've got something.
'But some of them are being taken advantage of and we have a duty of care to advice the cast to make sure they weren't inadvertently promoting products.'
'There's no suggestion that any of the cast have been making money from it or getting anything for free as a result.'
Online fans: Charlie Condou, left, and Anthony Cotton, right, are both keen Tweeters too, though there is no suggestion any Corrie cast members have been using Twitter for financial gains or freebies outside the show
However, she added: 'It's not like we're going to be policing all of their Twitter accounts though. They're grown ups.
A show insider told Mail Online that Brooke Vincent, 19, who plays gobby lesbian Sophie Webster in Coronation Street, was just one of many who had overstepped the mark.
'She is just one of the most prolific Twitters,' they explained.
Brooke, who has 76,000 followers, had appeared to have been endorsing a range of brands on her account, including McDonald's, Domino's Pizza and Sienna fake tan by posting photos of them on her Twitter feed.
Tweet times: Jennie McAlpine, who plays Weatherfield favourite Fizz, has more than 26,000 fans on Twitter
But the insider insisted that many other younger members of the cast had too, and no-one was being targetted specifically by the newly-issued guidelines.
It had been reported that Brooke had been given a 'stern talking to' after appearing to endorse a range of brands including McDonald's, Domino's Pizza and Sienna fake tan by posting photos of them on her Twitter feed.
However, this has been denied by show bosses.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2011405/Coronation-Street-stars-told-plug-products-companies-Tweets-rash-endorsements.html#ixzz1RF18XqjW