ITV soap fans have expressed anger after Emmerdale and Coronation Street were moved from their regular slots to accommodate England's World Cup warm-up match against Costa Rica. The scheduling shake-up has caused significant disruption, with both shows airing earlier than usual on Wednesday, June 10.
New Times for Wednesday
Emmerdale will now air at 7pm on ITV, followed by Coronation Street at 7.30pm, instead of their typical 8pm and 8.30pm slots. The change is due to football coverage starting at 8pm, with the match kicking off at 9pm.
Fan Backlash
Viewers have taken to social media to voice their displeasure. One fan fumed: "Put football on another channel rather than cancel the soaps." Another said: "I hate missing out on many of my shows to Football & before anyone says it's only once every 4 years - that's just this tournament. Nowadays, @ITV seem to want to show every football game on the planet on Primetime TV."
A source told The Sun: "It's proving quite the headache behind the scenes. Soap fans have already had to get used to the new slots, which came in at the beginning of the year, so with more changes coming, there's a real fear they could lose more viewers. Airing the episodes on a Sunday just does not work, and now with the new schedule, it's very unlikely they'll be able to run before these big World Cup matches start."
Previous Scheduling
Emmerdale previously aired at 7.30pm on weeknights, while Coronation Street aired on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 8pm. The current changes have disrupted this routine.
ITV's Response
Emmerdale bosses gave viewers a heads-up on X (formerly Twitter), reminding fans that episodes can be watched from 7am on ITVX and YouTube. The post detailed the week's schedule: no Emmerdale on Tuesday or Thursday, and on Friday, Emmerdale will air for an hour between 8pm and 9pm, followed by Coronation Street from 9pm to 10pm.
Despite the notice, some viewers remained unimpressed. One said: "So no Corrie on Tues and Thursday." Another questioned: "Why don't you just switch it over to ITV2 or ITV3 or ITV4 as football is on. Why mess it all up. Not everyone gonna watch football. Sort it by now."
The scheduling conflict highlights the ongoing tension between regular programming and major sporting events, with soap fans feeling sidelined by football coverage.
