Soaps on the move
In a huge shake-up of its early evening output, ITV will now air a full hour of news from 6.30pm, pushing the soaps further into prime time.
Emmerdale, which has a big year ahead celebrating its 50th birthday in 2022, will move to a 7.30pm slot.
Coronation Street, the nation’s biggest soap, is to move to three hour-long episodes, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm.
It’s bad news for struggling BBC rival EastEnders – putting the ITV soaps in direct competition with it each night.
EastEnders usually airs Mondays at 8.05pm, Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7.30pm and Fridays at 8pm.
The BBC One has struggled in the soap ratings battle recently – with Emmerdale and Corrie pulling in millions more viewers each night.
Ratings plunged to just two million viewers in the overnights at various points last year forcing bosses to launch a fight back for the soap.
It has recently began airing full 30 minute episodes again after two years of reduced lengths due to the pandemic.
