ITV SOAP SCHEDULE CHANGES TO FREE UP HALF HOUR SLOT FOR OTHER PROGRAMMING

EXCLUSIVE

ITV are not planning any further schedule changes to its daytime or evening news output to cover the 7:30-8:00pm slot, which will become free from 2026 following this week's announcement that ITV will be moving soaps into the 8pm hour, TV Zone understands.

Though not confirmed by ITV, TV Zone understands the 7:30-8:00pm weekday slot will be occupied by shows such as Tonight, The Martin Lewis Money Show, For The Love Of Dogs, and possible new travel and quiz shows.

Earlier this week, ITV announced that from January 2026, Coronation Street and Emmerdale will move to a new scheduling pattern on ITV1, introducing a soaps power hour from Monday-Friday, with 30 minute Emmerdale episodes at 8pm, and 30 minute Coronation Street episodes at 8.30pm.

ITV claim the new schedule chimes with research insights that show 30 minute episodes attracted higher audiences in 2024, and deliver more digestible installments of continuing drama that better fits with changing viewer habits.

ITV’s Managing Director of Media and Entertainment Kevin Lygo said of the soap changes: “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. 

“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.

“Research insights also show us that soap viewers are increasingly looking to the soaps for their pacey storytelling. Streaming-friendly, 30 minute episodes better provide the opportunity to meet viewer expectations for storyline pace, pay-off and resolution.

“Whilst viewing is growing on ITVX, we know a significant proportion of our soaps’ audience still watch us via the schedule. This new pattern is in the DNA of the soap genre - nobody else does 30 minute drama this successfully. It creates a soap power hour that's consistent, and easy to find in the linear schedule, for the UK’s biggest soaps.

“This new commissioning pattern will mean five hours of soaps a week, rather than the current six. We are conscious this will have an impact for the people who work on the soaps team. We will support our colleagues in ITV Studios as they work through these changes, and will do what we can to mitigate the impact on our people. 

“These changes are motivated by doing what we believe is best for the continuing success of these important programmes in the long term. They also create headroom in the overall programme budget for investment in programming that can help ITV grow reach in a very very competitive market.”

Emmerdale and Coronation Street air on ITV1 and ITVX.