Emmerdale and Coronation Road schedules face reduce backs
ITV soaps Coronation Road and Emmerdale are to see their content material reduce by an hour per week between them from subsequent yr.
Coronation Road at the moment airs for 3 hour-long episodes per week, whereas Emmerdale is 4 30-minute episodes plus one hour-long instalment.
From January 2026, each soaps will solely air 30-minute episodes, with a “soaps energy hour” each week day that includes Emmerdale at 8pm and Coronation Road at 8.30pm.
Episodes will proceed to be launched at 7am on ITVX earlier than airing on ITV later that night.
ITV boss Kevin Lygo mentioned the change is “viewer-led” and can make the soaps extra “streaming-friendly”.
Performing arts union Fairness mentioned the transfer, which comes after the cancellation of BBC cleaning soap Docs and adjustments to Channel 4’s Hollyoaks schedule, provides it “additional trigger for concern”, however added that ITV has mentioned it “won’t instantly affect the solid or end in adjustments to pay or contracts”.
Lygo added: “In a world the place there’s a lot competitors for viewers’ time and a focus, and viewing habits proceed to vary, we consider that is the correct quantity of episodes that followers can match into their viewing schedule, to maintain updated with the exhibits.
He acknowledged that going from the present six hours per week to 5 will “have an effect for the individuals who work on the soaps staff”.
“We are going to assist our colleagues in ITV Studios as they work via these adjustments, and can do what we are able to to mitigate the affect on our individuals,” he mentioned.
“These adjustments are motivated by doing what we consider is finest for the persevering with success of those essential programmes in the long run.
“Additionally they create headroom within the total programme funds for funding in programming that may assist ITV develop attain in a really, very aggressive market.”
Emmerdale and Coronation Road have gone via a number of schedule adjustments over time. Each started with solely two episodes per week earlier than rising to 6 weekly episodes in later years.
Whereas Fairness acknowledged the peace of mind from ITV, the union’s TV official Natalie Barker mentioned: “We do know that fewer episodes will imply fewer alternatives for work for our members engaged as visitor and supporting artists on these productions.
“This can be a important loss for our members within the North East and North West areas and continues the continued pattern of fewer alternatives for display screen work, particularly within the areas and for early profession actors.”
Previously few years, there was a downturn in promoting income, a part of a funding squeeze all through the TV trade.
Amongst different long-running dramas, the BBC has axed Docs and Holby Metropolis, and trimmed the variety of episodes of Casualty (however has revived Waterloo Street). Channel 5 additionally axed its funding for Neighbours.
Channel 4’s Hollyoaks additionally went from 5 episodes to 3 final yr.
