ITV has announced today (Tuesday, February 4) that from January 2026 soap fans will be treated to a 'soap power hour' from Monday through to Friday which will see Coronation Street and Emmerdale air every weekday evening in half-hour episodes.
While we are already getting new episodes of Emmerdale every evening, Coronation Street currently airs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. However, from the start of next year, the soap will air every day.
But, there is a catch.
While Coronation Street will air every weekday the epsiodes will only be half an hour long instead of the full hour that we get at the moment.
Emmerdale's usual hour-long epsiode on a Thursday will also drop to half an hour, meaning both soaps will actually be cut down by half an hour screen time each week. This means ITV will be producing 5 hours of soap content a week across both shows, instead of the current 6 hours.
Soap 'power hour' will start with an episode of Emmerdale at 8pm, with Coronation Street following directly arefwards at 8.30pm. And there is good news for fans who like to watch in advance, becasue the episodes will still land on ITVX at 7am before transmission that evening, like they do now.
A statement from ITV explains why the new scheudling pattern has been put into place... "The new schedule chimes with research insights that show 30 minute episodes attracted higher audiences in 2024, and deliver more digestible installments of continuing drama that better fits with changing viewer habits."
But that's not all - to celebrate the new scheduling pattern in 2026, both soaps will embark on an ambitious, never-before-seen stunt as part of a week of special episodes.
ITV’s Managing Director of Media and Entertainment Kevin Lygo explains further: “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."
Coronation Street currently airs Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings at 8pm until 9pm,
Emmerdale airs every weekday evenings at 7.30pm with an hour-long episode on a Thursday.
This schedule will stay the same until the new shakeup comes at the start of 2026.
