On March 6, 2026, ITV1 will temporarily suspend its flagship soap operas, Coronation Street and Emmerdale, to air coverage of the Six Nations rugby tournament. The coverage is set to begin at 7.20pm and conclude at 10.40pm, with the match between Ireland and Wales kicking off at 8.10pm.
This scheduling change marks a significant shift for ITV1, as the soaps, which typically air on weeknights at 8.30pm and 8.00pm respectively, will not be broadcast on this date. Regular programming for both shows is expected to resume on March 9, 2026.
The decision to alter the schedule comes in the wake of ITV’s new ‘power hour’ format, which launched in January 2026. Under this format, Coronation Street and Emmerdale now air for half an hour each, five nights a week, a change that ITV executives describe as ‘viewer-led’ due to evolving viewing habits.
Kevin Lygo, ITV’s Director of Television, commented on the changes, stating, “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.” He also noted that research indicates soap viewers are increasingly drawn to the pacey storytelling these programs offer.
Despite the temporary suspension, both soaps remain popular with live audiences in the UK. Coronation Street boasts an average of 2.97 million live viewers and a 24.3% audience share, while Emmerdale has an average of 2.89 million viewers and a 24.7% share.
As ITV1 navigates these programming changes, the network continues to adapt to the preferences of its audience while balancing sports coverage and its long-standing soap operas. The impact of these changes on viewer engagement will be closely monitored in the coming weeks.