Soap fans across the UK found themselves reaching for the remote in vain on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, as both Coronation Street and Emmerdale vanished from their usual primetime slots on ITV1. Instead of the familiar drama from Weatherfield and the Dales, viewers were treated to the high-stakes Carabao Cup semi-final between Newcastle United and Manchester City, broadcast live from 7:30pm to 10:25pm. The disruption came just a week after the launch of ITV’s much-touted “soap power hour”—a new scheduling move that had only just begun to settle in with audiences.
This scheduling shake-up wasn’t just a minor blip. For many, it felt like déjà vu, as football once again took priority over the soaps, a longstanding frustration for loyal viewers. As reported by Radio Times and Digital Spy, neither soap aired that night, and there were no early releases available on ITVX or YouTube, unlike on typical broadcast days. The soaps did, however, return to their regular evening slots from Wednesday, January 14, through Friday, January 16, 2026.
The timing of the interruption was particularly striking. Just a week earlier, on January 6, ITV had rolled out its “soap power hour” format, a bold new approach to scheduling its two flagship soaps. The new routine sees a 30-minute episode of Emmerdale at 8pm, followed by a 30-minute episode of Coronation Street at 8:30pm, Monday through Friday. This replaced the previous pattern of hour-long episodes, which had been aired less frequently throughout the week. The shake-up was designed to offer consistency and make it easier for fans to find their shows each night, as explained by Kevin Lygo, ITV’s Managing Director of Media and Entertainment.
"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," Lygo told Radio Times. He continued, "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." Lygo also emphasized that research showed soap viewers increasingly prefer pacey storytelling, and that streaming-friendly, 30-minute episodes better meet expectations for plot development and resolution.
The “power hour” launch wasn’t just about new timeslots. It kicked off with a bang on January 5, 2026, with a special crossover episode dubbed “Corriedale,” merging the worlds of Coronation Street and Emmerdale for a one-off hour of high drama. The episode drew a peak audience of 4.7 million viewers, according to Metro, and was met with excitement and acclaim from fans. Executive producer Iain MacLeod described the crossover as "like the Marvel multiverse assembling," and added, "I think fans of both shows will enjoy the opportunity, just for this hour, to see what's it like if your favourite character from over here interacts with your favourite character from over there."
Storylines from the crossover spilled into both soaps in the following days, with major plot developments keeping viewers on the edge of their seats. In Coronation Street, Debbie found herself wrongly framed for causing a devastating car crash after her brother Carl swapped places with her before the authorities arrived. Meanwhile, Shona’s early labor and emergency surgery added another layer of drama, especially with the arrival of her long-lost sister. Over in Emmerdale, Victoria was at the center of a shocking storyline after killing her brother, fugitive John Sugden, who had reappeared in the village just before the crash. The aftermath of the crash continued to send shockwaves through both communities, with Emmerdale also introducing a gripping whodunnit after Ray was found dead in the back of a van.
For fans, the new schedule has been a mixed bag. While some have embraced the daily half-hour episodes, others have voiced their preference for the old format of fewer, longer episodes. Social media comments, highlighted by Digital Spy and Radio Times, included: "I wanted one hour episodes, three times a week instead, these 30 minutes on separate days is not enough," and "No more one hour. I shall save them and rewatch." Some viewers have adapted by recording episodes and watching them back-to-back, effectively recreating the hour-long experience at home.
Emmerdale star Chris Bisson, who plays Jai Sharma, commented on the new schedule and the excitement around the crossover episode at a launch event covered by Radio Times. "All the fans have been waiting for the two shows to collide and now we get it to kick off our new schedule on ITV. That 'soap power hour'," he said. Bisson also noted, "No more moaning that they are shifting Corrie around because of the football and nobody knows when it is on – all that kind of stuff. We all know where we are up to now – 8pm to 9pm every day of the week." Ironically, just a week into the new era, the very scenario he described—football bumping the soaps—recurred.
Despite the temporary disruption, ITV has been keen to remind viewers that episodes are available to stream from 7am on ITVX and YouTube on the days they are broadcast. This flexibility, ITV argues, is part of its effort to adapt to changing viewing habits and make the soaps more accessible than ever.
Looking ahead, both Coronation Street and Emmerdale remain cornerstones of British television, with the new schedule aiming to balance tradition with the realities of modern TV consumption. The “power hour” experiment is still in its infancy, and only time will tell if it wins over the majority of fans. For now, the soaps are back in their regular slots, the football is over, and the drama—both on and off screen—continues.
