ITV has announced that from January 2026, Coronation Street and Emmerdale will move to a new scheduling pattern on ITV1.
The broadcaster is introducing a soaps power hour from Monday-Friday, with 30 minute Emmerdale episodes at 8pm, and 30 minute Coronation Street episodes at 8.30pm. Episodes will continue to drop at 7am on ITVX, before transmission that evening.
The launch of the 2026 schedule will be marked in spectacular style, as both soaps embark on an ambitious, never before seen stunt as part of a week of special episodes.
This change aligns with research showing that 30-minute episodes drew larger audiences in 2024, offering more digestible drama that suits evolving viewer preferences.
The changes solidify ITV’s position as the premier home for soaps, as they continue to support the genre more than any other broadcaster. To reach the largest audience possible, ITV launched a dedicated soap section on ITVX in 2024 and plans to ramp up marketing efforts in 2025 to keep Coronation Street and Emmerdale at the forefront.
ITV’s Managing Director of Media and Entertainment Kevin Lygo said:
“The new commissioning pattern is viewer-led. We already give more choice than ever to viewers on how they watch us through ITVX and we want to present their favourite soap to them, in the most digestible way. In a world where there is so much competition for viewers’ time and attention, and viewing habits continue to change, we believe this is the right amount of episodes that fans can fit into their viewing schedule, to keep up to date with the shows.
“Research insights also show us that soap viewers are increasingly looking to the soaps for their pacey storytelling. Streaming-friendly, 30 minute episodes better provide the opportunity to meet viewer expectations for storyline pace, pay-off and resolution.
“Whilst viewing is growing on ITVX, we know a significant proportion of our soaps’ audience still watch us via the schedule. This new pattern is in the DNA of the soap genre – nobody else does 30 minute drama this successfully.
“It creates a soap power hour that’s consistent, and easy to find in the linear schedule, for the UK’s biggest soaps.
“This new commissioning pattern will mean five hours of soaps a week, rather than the current six. We are conscious this will have an impact for the people who work on the soaps team. We will support our colleagues in ITV Studios as they work through these changes, and will do what we can to mitigate the impact on our people.
“These changes are motivated by doing what we believe is best for the continuing success of these important programmes in the long term. They also create headroom in the overall programme budget for investment in programming that can help ITV grow reach in a very very competitive market.”
Coronation Street and Emmerdale are the UK’s most watched soaps with a combined weekly reach of over 8 million viewers.
Praising the quality of both, ITV said that: “Both soaps are in blistering form and have big stunt storylines in February, with an action packed month on the cobbles ahead, which kicked off with the mysterious fire last night at the Platt’s house which threatens to destroy much more than bricks and mortar. Emmerdale will also unleash a heart-stopping storyline, filmed over a series of night shoots, centered on a fateful night that brings two limousines into danger, with one left teetering on a treacherous frozen lake.”
Coronation Street, ITV1 and STV at 8pm Monday, Wednesday and Friday and on ITVX from 7am, Emmerdale, weeknights at 7.30pm on ITV1 and STV or stream at 7am on ITV
