The British Soap Awards have reportedly been permanently axed by ITV amidst ongoing budget cuts, according to a source cited by The Sun. The awards, which have been a staple of British television since 1999, were already shelved for 2026, but the channel is now said to have quietly dropped them for the foreseeable future.
Declining Revenue Cited as Reason
A source told The Sun: “Sadly, the soap awards have had their day and won’t be returning. It’s a real shame but they no longer pull in the advertising or sponsorship money anymore. It won’t be back. It’s dead in the water.” The source added that rival shows like the BAFTA TV Awards and the National Television Awards already feature soap categories, making a separate event redundant.
The awards last aired in 2025, hosted by Jane McDonald, drawing 1.5 million viewers. That broadcast came after a one-year hiatus in 2024, following the show's return in 2023 after a two-year pandemic pause. Previously, the awards ran annually from 1999 to 2020.
ITV's Response and Broader Cuts
An ITV spokesperson told The Sun that “no decision has yet been made,” but the channel is implementing significant budget reductions across its programming. These cuts have already affected daytime TV: Lorraine was reduced from one hour to 30 minutes, and Loose Women now airs only 30 weeks per year instead of 52.
Kevin Lygo, Managing Director of ITV’s Media and Entertainment Division, explained the changes in 2025: “Daytime is a really important part of what we do, and these scheduling and production changes will enable us to continue to deliver a schedule providing viewers with the news, debate and discussion they love from the presenters they know and trust as well generating savings which will allow us to reinvest across the programme budget in other genres.”
Impact on Loose Women Panel
Despite fears of a panel shake-up, an ITV source previously told The Mirror: “We are not planning any radical changes to the panel. All of our Loose Women are hugely valued, and we celebrate each and every one and the experience and opinions they bring to the show every day.” The source emphasized that the show remains a priority, having secured a BAFTA nomination, launched a podcast, and celebrated a milestone anniversary.
