The World Cup continues to cause scheduling upheaval for ITV's flagship soaps, Coronation Street and Emmerdale. The football tournament, which kicked off on June 11, will air on ITV until July 19, prompting significant changes to the usual broadcast patterns.
This disruption comes just months after both soaps adopted a new scheduling format, moving from three hour-long episodes per week for Coronation Street and a weekly hour-long Emmerdale to half-hour nightly instalments. The new pattern now faces serious disruption due to World Cup coverage.
Coronation Street Schedule This Week
Viewers can expect an hour-long episode on Monday, June 22 (9-10pm), followed by a half-hour episode on Tuesday, June 23 (9:30-10pm). There will be no new episodes on Wednesday, June 24, and Friday, June 26. Thursday, June 25, will feature a double episode from 9-10pm.
For those who cannot wait until the evening, episodes are available to stream from 7am on ITVX or YouTube on their respective air dates. This week's episodes include the aftermath of the reveal of who killed Theo Silverton (James Cartwright), as the conspiracy to protect the perpetrator faces serious threats.
Emmerdale Schedule This Week
Emmerdale follows the same transmission pattern as Coronation Street this week. Monday, June 22, airs an hour-long episode from 8-9pm, while Tuesday, June 23, features a half-hour episode from 9-9:30pm. No new episodes on Wednesday, June 24, and Friday, June 26. Thursday, June 25, offers another hour-long episode from 8-9pm.
Episodes can also be streamed from 7am on YouTube and ITVX on their scheduled air days. This week's storylines see Charity Dingle (Emma Atkins) finally crumble under the weight of the sexual assault inflicted on her by Dr Caitlin Todd (Caroline Harker), while Kev Townsend (Chris Coghill) returns to the Dales.
According to the report, the schedule changes are necessary to accommodate World Cup coverage, which has taken over prime-time slots on ITV. Fans are advised to check the updated schedules to avoid missing their favourite soaps.
