In a notable shift in programming, ITV has announced that Coronation Street and Emmerdale will not air on ITV1 and ITVX today, March 27, 2026, due to the coverage of the England v Uruguay friendly game. The match is set to begin at 7pm, leading to a temporary alteration in the usual schedule.
Viewers can expect a rare Sunday episode of Emmerdale at 7pm, followed by Coronation Street at 7:30pm. This is a deviation from the regular weeknight slots, where Emmerdale typically airs at 8pm and Coronation Street at 8:30pm.
Both shows have been part of ITV’s evening lineup for years, with Coronation Street airing on weeknights at 8:30pm and streaming on ITVX. Similarly, Emmerdale has its weeknight airing at 8pm, also available for streaming on the platform.
Interestingly, this schedule change is not a one-off; both shows are also set to air next Easter Sunday, indicating a trend towards more flexible programming in response to sports events.
As part of a broader strategy, ITV has introduced half-hour episodes for both shows, creating a ‘soap power hour’ between 8pm and 9pm, five days a week. This initiative aims to cater to changing viewer habits and competition for audience attention.
Kevin Lygo, ITV’s Managing Director of Media and Entertainment, 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.”
These adjustments reflect ITV’s ongoing efforts to adapt its programming to current viewer preferences and external factors such as sports events. Recent schedule changes have occurred due to sports fixtures and other reasons, highlighting the network’s responsiveness to real-time events.
Details remain unconfirmed regarding any further long-term changes to the programming schedule, but observers are keen to see how ITV continues to balance its popular soap operas with live sports coverage in the future.