Soap fans are facing another disruption to their evening schedules as ITV has confirmed that Coronation Street and Emmerdale will be taken off air next month. On Friday, June 5, the usual episodes of Emmerdale at 8pm and Coronation Street at 8.30pm will be replaced by live coverage of the FIFA Women's World Cup qualifier between England and Spain. It remains unclear whether the missing episodes will be rescheduled for the weekend, a practice that has been employed several times already this year.
Background of Schedule Changes
Since ITV's major schedule overhaul at the start of the year, both soaps have faced numerous interruptions to accommodate sports broadcasts. This trend has drawn strong reactions from viewers, with some calling for a dedicated soap channel to avoid such changes. Last year, ITV announced a reduction in episode output for both Coronation Street and Emmerdale, each now airing 30-minute installments every weeknight, creating what has been dubbed the 'soap power hour'.
The new schedules were launched with a crossover event titled 'Corriedale', which attracted millions of viewers. The aftermath of that event continues to unfold in both soaps, with plenty of drama leading up to the June 5 changes.
Current Storylines
On Coronation Street, the investigation into Theo Silverton's murder is ongoing, with a new suspect emerging. Meanwhile, Will Driscoll struggles after his ordeal with Megan Walsh, and newcomer Idris Nazir quickly makes an enemy. In Emmerdale, Cain Dingle finds himself arrested, much to the dismay of his wife Moira. The farm suffers another arson attack, and Gabby Thomas sets her sights on Ross Barton.
Fans are advised to check local listings for any rescheduled episodes. ITV has not yet announced whether the June 5 episodes will air later in the weekend.
