ITV is dramatically slashing its soap schedule as Coronation Street and Emmerdale struggle under a cash crisis.
Corrie currently airs for three hour-long episodes a week, whilst Emmerdale is four 30 minute episodes and one hour-long.
Eileen, portrayed by actress Sue Cleaver is leaving Coronation Street[/caption]
Colson Smith was devastated to be axed as Craig Tinker[/caption]
Now just five 30-minute episodes of each show will air.
A source said: “Soaps are incredibly important to ITV and this is about preserving their longevity for the future.
“There has been a super squeeze in production costs and it was necessary to make changes but Corrie and Emmerdale both remain integral to ITV .”
They will screen a “soap power hour” as two back-to-back 30 minute episodes.
It will also air later in the day.
Insiders at the channel say it will help make both Emmerdale and Coronation Street more “streaming-friendly”.
It comes after a string of big name stars quit Coronation Street and many have called out the budget crisis which has left them struggling to make ends meet.
The new structure will launch with a huge stunt on both soaps.
A source added that ITV will still broadcast more hours of soap each week than any other channel.
Currently, Emmerdale airs six episodes per week, Monday to Friday with a double episode on Thursdays.
Coronation Street also airs six episodes per week, spread across Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, with two episodes each night.
Schedules can sometimes change due to special events or seasonal adjustments.
ITV’s Managing Director of Media and Entertainment Kevin Lygo said in a statement: “The new commissioning pattern is viewer-led.
“We already give more choice than ever to viewers on how they watch us through ITVX and we want to present their favourite soap to them, in the most digestible way.
“In a world where there is so much competition for viewers’ time and attention, and viewing habits continue to change, we believe this is the right amount of episodes that fans can fit into their viewing schedule, to keep up to date with the shows.
“Research insights also show us that soap viewers are increasingly looking to the soaps for their pacey storytelling.
“Streaming-friendly, 30 minute episodes better provide the opportunity to meet viewer expectations for storyline pace, pay-off and resolution.”
He continued: “Whilst viewing is growing on ITVX, we know a significant proportion of our soaps’ audience still watch us via the schedule. This new pattern is in the DNA of the soap genre – nobody else does 30 minute drama this successfully.
“It creates a soap power hour that’s consistent, and easy to find in the linear schedule, for the UK’s biggest soaps.”
Lygo also hinted at cuts to jobs behind the scenes.
He added: “This new commissioning pattern will mean five hours of soaps a week, rather than the current six.
“We are conscious this will have an impact for the people who work on the soaps team.
“We will support our colleagues in ITV Studios as they work through these changes, and will do what we can to mitigate the impact on our people.”
He went on: “These changes are motivated by doing what we believe is best for the continuing success of these important programmes in the long term.
“They also create headroom in the overall programme budget for investment in programming that can help ITV grow reach in a very very competitive market.”
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