Soap fans have been left furious after a sweeping scheduling shake-up wiped their favourite shows from TV listings this week. Viewers hoping for their usual dose of drama from Emmerdale, Coronation Street and EastEnders have been met with disappointment, as all three major soaps have been pulled from the schedules due to a summer of sporting action.
Emmerdale, which normally airs an hour-long episode on Thursdays, and EastEnders, which typically treats fans to a 30-minute trip to Albert Square, both vanished from last night's schedule. Meanwhile, Coronation Street, which doesn't usually air on Thursdays, will also be missing from screens tonight, leaving fans with an unusually long wait for their next visit to Weatherfield.
The disruption has sparked outrage among devoted soap viewers, many of whom have taken to social media to vent their frustrations. One angry fan fumed: 'Why have we no Emmerdale or Corrie, cause women’s football on ITV? Why can’t the football move to ITV2 or ITVX? Stupid planning. The soaps must have much higher viewers than women’s football, a lot of people unhappy.' Another ranted: 'This is actually a full-on joke. It’s about time ITV came up with a solution to suit all!! Some of us rely on soaps for routine and they are the only happy part of our day! YOU HAVE ITVX AND SEVERAL OTHER CHANNELS! Sort it out ITV!!'
The changes come as the BBC and ITV juggle coverage of both Wimbledon and the Women’s Euros, leaving little room in prime-time schedules for regular soap broadcasts. Tonight, ITV will broadcast live coverage from Sweden as Portugal take on Spain, while Friday will see Germany face off against Poland, forcing Coronation Street off air once again.
Unfortunately for fans, the disruption isn’t over yet. EastEnders won’t be back on air until next Wednesday, although viewers can look forward to another double bill once the soap returns. Emmerdale fans will have a slightly shorter wait, as the show is set to return at 7.30pm next Tuesday (July 8). However, Coronation Street fans face an even longer gap, as both the usual Monday and Wednesday episodes will also be cancelled next week due to further football coverage. Instead, Weatherfield drama will resume on Thursday at the later time of 9pm.
