Channel 4 has announced that episodes of its soap opera Hollyoaks will be made available on YouTube a week after their initial broadcast on E4 and streaming on Channel 4's own platform. The move is part of a digital-first strategy aimed at attracting younger viewers.
From 25 September, Hollyoaks episodes will premiere on Channel 4's website the day before airing on E4. The traditional next-day broadcast on Channel 4 will be replaced by a weekly omnibus. Episodes will then be uploaded to YouTube seven days after their E4 debut.
Ian Katz, Channel 4's chief content officer, said: 'Hollyoaks has always been the youngest and most innovative soap so it's fitting that it should be the first to embrace the changes in the behaviour of younger viewers and switch to a genuinely digital-led release pattern.' He added that the YouTube availability could introduce the show to a new generation.
The new schedule will be marked by a one-hour special featuring a love triangle involving Felix Westwood, Mercedes McQueen, and Warren Fox, along with revelations about influencer Rayne Royce. Hollyoaks first adopted a streaming-first model in 2022, becoming the first UK soap to premiere episodes online before television.
The announcement comes amid financial pressures at Channel 4, which has decommissioned or paused several shows due to an advertising slump. Executives deferred bonuses to help address the broadcaster's financial constraints.
