Soaps shake-up - here's when 'Coronation Street', 'Emmerdale' and 'EastEnders' will be airing from next week

Katie Archer
·Entertainment Reporter
·2-min read
The soaps are on a new schedule from next week. (BBC/ITV)
The soaps are on a new schedule from next week. (BBC/ITV)

It's been a confusing week in soapland as Coronation Street, Emmerdale and EastEnders episodes have been cancelled and rescheduled to make way for FA Cup matches.

But soap fans are about to get used to a whole new schedule again from Monday, when the long-running shows will start following a different timetable.

Read more: Neighbours axed - are other soaps at risk?

Changes to timings and episode length were announced earlier in the year and they're now set to come into effect - here's everything you need to know about the changing soaps times from Monday, 7 March.

Coronation Street - ITV

Gary Windass has spent the past two years literally getting away with murder but, with a terminally ill Laura determined to find out once and for all what happened to her ex Rick Neelan, the clock is ticking for the one time loan shark. (ITV)
Gary Windass could finally face his crimes. (ITV)

Visits to Corrie are reducing in the number of days, but getting longer for each episode.

From 7 March, Coronation Street will air on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm, with hour-long episodes each time rather than the usual 30 minute slots.

Read more: Spoilers - Adam quits, terror for Abi and Nicky's return

The ITV soap has previously aired two 30-minute episodes on some evenings broken up by other programmes, but now they will be consolidated into one longer episode.

Emmerdale - ITV

FROM ITV Immediate release EMMERDALE FAMILIES AT WAR Emmerdale celebrates a new era in its 50th year as it moves to an exciting new timeslot of 7.30pm. With many of our much loved families at war, viewers can expect drama in the not so peaceful village of Emmerdale. The Dingles are renowned for their feisty relationships and Charity (Emma Atkins) and Chas (Lucy Pargerter) are once again cousins at war. With the Woolpack and the B&B set to have big events on the same day - the gloves are off. The pair try their best to sabotage each otherÕs events and when they finally come face to face to have it all kicks off. Mandy (Lisa Riley) is traumatised to find out that her only son has got married without her even knowing. VinnyÕs (Bradley Johnson) guilt-ridden when Mandy explains that she sees his secret wedding as a betrayal of their relationship. Will Vinny and his new wife Liv (Isobel Steel) be able to heal MandyÕs hurt? Even though her murdering sister is finally in custody, Manpreet (Rebecca Sarker) still isnÕt safe. Desperate to get Meena (Paige Sandhu) to confess to her horrific crimes she pays her a visit but will manipulative Meena find a way to take her sister down with her? Rhona (Zoe Henry) has always had a strained relationship with her mother Mary (Louise Jameson). Will her sudden arrival in the village heal their rift or escalate their estrangement. Photographer - Mark Bruce This photograph is (C) ITV Plc and can only be reproduced for editorial purposes directly in connection with the programme or event mentioned above, or ITV plc. Once made available by ITV plc Picture Desk, this photograph can be reproduced once only up until the transmission [TX] date and no reproduction fee will be charged. Any subsequent usage may incur a fee. This photograph must not be manipulated [excluding basic cropping] in a manner which alters the visual appearance of the person photographed deemed detrimental or inappropriate by ITV plc Picture Desk. This photograph must not be syndicated to any other company, publication or website, or permanently archived, without the express written permission of ITV Picture Desk. Full Terms and conditions are available on www.itv.com/presscentre/itvpictures/terms
'Emmerdale' gets a regular time slot. (ITV)

Coronation Street's stablemate Emmerdale will also see a few changes from next week.

Soap fans will find the schedule for the Dales much easier to remember now as it will regularly air at 7.30pm for 30-minute episodes every week night from Monday to Friday.

EastEnders - BBC One

WARNING: Embargoed for publication until 00:00:01 on 01/03/2022 - Programme Name: EastEnders - January-March 2022 - TX: 10/03/2022 - Episode: EastEnders - January-March 2022 - 6449 (No. 6449) - Picture Shows: ***EMBARGOED TILL TUESDAY 1ST MARCH 2022*** Gray Atkins (TOBY-ALEXANDER SMITH) - (C) BBC - Photographer: Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron
Gray's storyline continues on a new schedule. (BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)

After ITV announced its scheduling shake-up, BBC chose to swap things around for EastEnders which will avoid major time clashes with Corrie.

For the first time, we'll regularly be visiting Albert Square on Wednesdays, but the Friday episode has been scrapped.

Read more: Preview - what will Gray do next?

However, it does mean that fans of EastEnders and Emmerdale will have a tough choice to make as the BBC soap is due to air from Monday to Thursday at 7.30pm.

Other Soaps

Farewell to Ramsay Street. (C5/Fremantle Media)
Farewell to Ramsay Street. (C5/Fremantle Media)

Hollyoaks will stay in its usual time slot of 6.30pm from Mondays to Fridays on Channel 4, with a first look at the next day's episode on E4 at 7pm.

BBC Two is giving a new timeslot to Doctors - as well as airing on its usual daytime schedule, it will be repeated at 7pm from Mondays to Thursdays.

Meanwhile, Channel 5 has confirmed the sad news that Neighbours will end its 37-year-run this summer, with production ending in June.

Home & Away continues to air on weekday lunchtimes at Channel 5.

Watch: Coronation Street Soap Scoop! Abi in danger

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