ITV plots radical Coronation Street and Emmerdale schedule shake-up from 2026

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Soap fans warned of major change to ITV’s Coronation Street and Emmerdale in 2026 😱
  • Coronation Street and Emmerdale are being cut to five episodes a week.
  • Both will air daily Mondays to Fridays back-to-back from 2026.
  • ITV has signalled the end of hour-long episodes for the shows.

ITV is plotting a radical shake-up to its soap schedule from next year. The number of episodes both Coronation Street and Emmerdale air each week will be cut.

The broadcaster will also scrap hour-long episodes of the soaps and instead they will solely air 30 minute instalments of each show. This new schedule will be introduced in early 2026.

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Here’s all you need to know about the soap shake-up on ITV. Let me know what you think!

ITV plots Coronation Street and Emmerdale shake-up

Emmerdale (L) and Coronation Street (R) have had their episodes cut from 2026Emmerdale (L) and Coronation Street (R) have had their episodes cut from 2026
Emmerdale (L) and Coronation Street (R) have had their episodes cut from 2026 | ITV

Soap fans will soon have to get used to a new TV schedule for Corrie and Emmerdale in the near future. The shows will each air five 30 minute episodes a week Monday to Friday - creating a ‘power hour’ every night.

Emmerdale episodes will start at 8pm and Coronation Street will follow at 8.30pm. It means an end to hour-long individual episodes of the soaps will soon be a thing of the past.

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Currently, Corrie airs three 60 minute episodes every week. But that will soon be brought to an end, in a shake-up of the soap schedule.

Both Coronation Street and Emmerdale will now only have five episodes each week with ITV describing it as “the right amount” for viewers. The soaps will continue to add episodes to ITVX at 7am, prior to the live broadcast later in the day.

When can you expect the changes to happen?

According to TV Zone, ITV is plotting the soap shake-up for 2026, so you don’t have to worry about getting caught out straight away. The new schedule will be introduced from January next year.

The website reports that the new soap ‘power hour’ with a week of special episodes feature stunts “never before seen”.

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ITV’s Managing Director of Media and Entertainment Kevin Lygo added: “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.”

What do you think of ITV’s plans for the soaps from 2026? Let me know by email: [email protected].

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