The British Soap Awards have been permanently axed by ITV amid a series of budget cuts, according to a source. The ceremony, which had been a staple of the British awards season since 1999, was already shelved for 2026, but the channel has now quietly dropped it for the foreseeable future.
History and Recent Hiatus
The awards celebrated the best of UK soap operas, including EastEnders, Coronation Street, and Emmerdale. They were held annually from 1999 to 2020, before being suspended for two years due to the pandemic. The show made a comeback in 2023, skipped 2024, and returned once more in 2025, hosted by Jane McDonald, with 1.5 million viewers tuning in.
Source Confirms Permanent End
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 further noted that rival ceremonies such as the BAFTA TV Awards and the National Television Awards already feature dedicated soap categories, meaning "they don't need their own event anymore."
ITV's Response
An ITV spokesperson informed The Sun that "no decision has yet been made." ITV has been contacted for further comment. However, the broadcaster is currently grappling with a raft of budget cuts, which have already compelled daytime TV programmes to relocate to a new filming studio and resulted in alterations to the broadcasting schedule. Lorraine has been reduced from an hour to just 30 minutes, while Loose Women is now only broadcasting for 30 weeks annually rather than the full 52.
Impact of Budget Cuts
When announcing the changes earlier last year, Kevin Lygo, Managing Director of ITV's Media and Entertainment Division, said: "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. These changes also allow us to consolidate our news operations and expand our national, international and regional news output and to build upon our proud history of trusted journalism at a time when our viewers need accurate, unbiased news coverage more than ever."
