Soap fans, you might want to sit down. Coronation Street and Emmerdale are getting bumped off ITV again tonight — and this time it’s the FIFA World Cup doing the damage. If you were settling in for a night on the cobbles or the Dales, you’re going to need a new plan.
It’s becoming a painfully familiar story for British soap fans. Coronation Street and Emmerdale are off the air again tonight, with ITV handing their prime-time slots over to the FIFA World Cup — and viewers are not impressed.
ITV is broadcasting the Norway v France match from 7pm, with coverage expected to dominate the evening. That means no trip to Weatherfield and no visit to the Dales for fans who were looking forward to their nightly soap fix.
The Football Chaos Continues
This isn’t the first time the World Cup has thrown a wrench into the schedules. Both soaps have been forced to shuffle their broadcast times multiple times this month, much to the frustration of the millions of viewers who tune in every week.
ITV tried to soften the blow ahead of tonight’s blackout by airing extended, hour-long episodes of both soaps last night, running from 8pm through to 10pm. It was a smart move — but it hasn’t stopped fans from venting online about losing their shows yet again.
When Will Corrie and Emmerdale Be Back?
The bad news is that World Cup coverage is continuing across the weekend, meaning the schedule disruption isn’t over yet. While an official return date hasn’t been confirmed, it looks like Tuesday next week is the most likely point at which both shows will get their regular slots back.
And it’s not just ITV viewers who have been affected. EastEnders over on the BBC got shuffled around earlier this week too — temporarily shifted to BBC Two amid breaking news coverage of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s resignation. Between football and political bombshells, it’s been a rough few weeks for soap scheduling across British television.
What You’re Missing on the Cobbles
For those going through Corrie withdrawal, there’s plenty of drama to catch up on whenever the show does return. Maria Connor and Gary Windass are locked in a marriage crisis that’s only getting more complicated by the day — and actress Samia Longchambon has been teasing that things are about to get a lot worse before they get better.
“I guess that was the start of so many twists and turns you are going to see over the [coming] weeks and months,” Longchambon warned fans. “You are going to see quite a bumpy ride for Gary and Maria.”
