ITV has announced significant changes to its evening schedule, set to take effect from March 2022. The revamp includes an extended hour-long ITV News bulletin and adjustments to the airing times of its popular soaps, Emmerdale and Coronation Street.
Under the new schedule, regional news will air at 6pm, followed by national and international news from 6.30pm to 7.30pm. This brings Scotland in line with the rest of the UK, where STV News at Six will air, followed by the extended news programme.
Emmerdale will move to a 7.30pm slot each evening, while Coronation Street will air hour-long episodes at 8pm on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. ITV's Managing Director of Media and Entertainment, Kevin Lygo, described the changes as an investment in high-quality journalism and a response to evolving viewing habits.
Lygo noted that ITV News reached 35.6 million viewers in 2021, and the new schedule aims to provide a continuous soap fix for fans. Michael Jermey, ITV's Director of News and Current Affairs, highlighted the network's strong journalistic output, including programmes like Tonight, Peston, and The Martin Lewis Money Show.
John Whiston, ITV's Managing Director of Continuing Drama, expressed enthusiasm for the new format, stating that Coronation Street's storylines will benefit from the extended episodes, while Emmerdale continues to thrive in its new time slot.
