ITV Soap Schedule Disrupted Again: No Coronation Street or Emmerdale Tonight
ITV soap enthusiasts planning to watch Coronation Street and Emmerdale this evening will face disappointment, as both shows have been removed from the broadcast schedule. This marks another interruption less than three months after a major overhaul introduced the 'soap power hour' format, which consolidated episodes into a nightly block from 8pm to 9pm.
Why Are the Soaps Off Air?
On Friday, March 6, 2026, ITV1 and ITVX will not air Emmerdale or Coronation Street. Instead, the channel will broadcast live coverage of the 2026 Guinness Men's Six Nations rugby match between Wales and Ireland, held at Dublin's Aviva Stadium. This decision continues a pattern of sports events displacing soap programming, much to the chagrin of loyal viewers.
The soap power hour, which typically features Emmerdale from 8pm to 8:30pm followed by Coronation Street from 8:30pm to 9pm, will resume on Monday, March 9. Episodes will be available for streaming on ITVX and YouTube from 7am each day before their television broadcast.
Fan Reactions to Previous Schedule Changes
This is not the first instance of schedule disruptions since the new format launched. Fans have expressed growing frustration over repeated cancellations due to sports coverage:
- On January 13, 2026, a football match between Newcastle United and Manchester City wiped both soaps from the schedule just one week after the power hour began.
- During the week of February 2, 2026, the soaps were removed for two nights: on February 3 for an Arsenal vs. Chelsea football game, and on February 5 for a Six Nations rugby match between France and Ireland.
Social media has been abuzz with complaints from disgruntled viewers. One fan lamented, 'I am fed up of soaps being cancelled due to football. Can’t they put the games on a dedicated ‘free’ channel?' Others echoed similar sentiments, with comments like 'This is so painful. There are very few shows that I like to watch but they keep being shunted' and 'This whole new schedule is a ploy to tear our beloved soap episodes away from us.' Discussions among readers have highlighted passionate debates about whether soaps should be preempted for sports events.
What to Expect When the Soaps Return
When Coronation Street and Emmerdale return next week, viewers can anticipate dramatic storylines:
- In Coronation Street, a love triangle involving Lauren Bolton, Amy Barlow, and Ollie Driscoll unfolds, complicated by a family secret linking their fathers. Meanwhile, Theo Silverton's abuse of Todd Grimshaw escalates, and Jodie Ramsey's actions anger Adam Barlow.
- In Emmerdale, Cain Dingle shares his cancer diagnosis with Moira Dingle, while Sarah Sugden hides the truth from Belle Dingle. Additionally, Graham Foster presents Rhona Goskirk with a difficult choice, and Paddy Kirk receives updates on Bear Wolf.
This article, originally published on March 2, 2026, has been updated to reflect the latest schedule changes and fan reactions.
