'Young Sheldon' Production Stopped After Positive Coronavirus Test

Production on The Big Bang Theory prequel series Young Sheldon was put on hold in Los Angeles after a crew member tested positive for the coronavirus Friday. The series resumed production on Sept. 22 and was about to start filming the third episode of its fourth season. The show stars Iain Armitage as a young version of Sheldon Cooper and is narrated by Jim Parsons, who played the character as an adult in Big Bang.

The production member was asymptomatic and the positive test came up during regular testing of Warner Bros. Television Studios staffers, reports Deadline. The person is now in isolation. Production was paused for the rest of the day, and filming is expected to resume on Monday.

It was the second time a WBTV production was halted in a week. A staffer on The CW sports drama All American tested positive, and filming was suspended for a day, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Sources told THR the staffer was asymptomatic and the diagnosis was also discovered through WBTV's ongoing testing. It was not known if the person who tested positive was a crew member or an actor.

WBTV productions in Vancouver were also put on hold last week due to a shortage of rapid coronavirus testing there. Charmed, Nancy Drew, Supergirl, and DC's Legends of Tomorrow were all held up by the backlog. On Wednesday, THR reported Batwoman and Riverdale were allowed to resume shooting, as was Maid, a series WBTV is producing for Netflix in Victoria, British Columbia. The CW is not planning to air any new episodes of its dramas until next year.

As for Young Sheldon, the show is in the middle of a two-season renewal. It was created by Chuck Lorre and Steven Molaro and is set in late 1980s Texas, where Sheldon grew up. The rest of the cast includes Zoe Perry, Lance Barger, Montana Jordan, Raegen Revord, Annie Potts, and Matt Hobby. The CBS series is the most-watched sitcom on television.

When Young Sheldon does return, the show will air in its usual Thursday night slot at 8 p.m. ET, which it took over after The Big Bang Theory ended. It will act as the lead-in for the new comedy B Positive, with Mom, The Unicorn, and the drama Evil following. CBS is hoping to air new episodes of its shows before the end of the year. Until they are ready, CBS will be airing a mix of repeats and reality shows. CBS will also air One Day at a Time Season 4 starting on Oct. 12 and began airing CBS All Access' Star Trek: Discovery on Sept. 24.