16:31, 30 Jan 2026Updated 16:54, 30 Jan 2026
Coronation Street has been removed from ITV’s schedule on two nights next week(Image: ITV)
Fans of Coronation Street and Emmerdale have been left furious after the beloved soaps were removed from ITV’s schedule on two nights next week.
Weeks after the channel launched a new ‘soap power hour’, with revamped timeslots seeing Emmerdale and Corrie run back-to-back for half an hour each between 8pm and 9pm, both shows have been axed from the listings next Tuesday and Thursday. The news has left viewers thoroughly unimpressed, with one fan even describing it as “so painful”.
Both soaps have been removed from ITV1’s schedule to make way for two sporting events next week, with Tuesday night seeing the second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final between Arsenal and Chelsea broadcast on the channel instead.
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With coverage starting at 7.30pm, it is expected to run until around 10.25pm, with Mark Pougatch set to front the action live from the Emirates Stadium.
On Thursday, meanwhile, ITV1 will show the opening match of the 2026 Six Nations, with defending champions France playing host to Ireland in the curtain-raiser in Paris.
It is the first time ever that a Six Nations match has been held on a Thursday, with games traditionally held on a Saturday or Sunday, while Friday night fixtures were introduced in 2009.
However, the match has been moved to mid-week due to the Winter Olympic opening ceremony taking place on Friday, with broadcasters keen to avoid a clash.
The tournament opener kicks off at the Stade de France at 8.10pm on Thursday, with coverage starting on ITV1 at 7.20pm.
All this means that soap fans won’t be getting their fix of Emmerdale or Corrie on those two nights, with viewers taking to social media to share their frustration over the shake-up.
“This is stupid,” wrote one. “So they already cut all the extra episodes going from six to five per week.
“Now every other week it seems they lose another episode. So in 2026, how many fewer episodes will there really be compared to 2025?”
Another added: “‘I remember the times we used to get episodes moved to other times because of the football (even last year). But now it seems like the new standard is simply no episode at all on the football/sports days.”
A third wrote: “This whole new schedule is a ploy to tear our beloved soap episodes away from us,” while a fourth said: “This is so painful. There are very few shows that I like to watch but they keep being shunted.”
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