We’re two (and a bit) months into Coronation Street and Emmerdale’s newscheduling pattern: the soap ‘power hour’.

Plans for a super soap shake up were revealed last year for a new ITV soap transmission pattern.

This new pattern sees Emmerdale airing from 8-8:30 and Coronation Street between 8:30-9.

The brand new schedule took effect following the seismic events of the biggest UK soap event: the utter behemoth that was Corriedale.

Since the change, though, there’s been a number of disruptions to the schedule, more often than not due to coverage of sports events, which is the case this week.

When are Emmerdale and Coronation Street being pulled this week?

This week (commencing March 2), will see another soap ‘power hour’ lost due to sports coverage.

There’ll be no Emmerdale or Corrie on Friday, March 6 on ITV1 or ITVX.

ITV will instead broadcast live coverage of the 2026 Guinness Men’s Six Nations clash between Wales and Ireland at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, in a move that’s sure to further irritate soap viewers.

The soap ‘power hour’ will resume from Monday, March 9, with episodes streaming on ITVX and YouTube prior to ITV1 transmission.

The first and second disruptions

The coverage of the Newcastle United v Manchester City game on January 13 wiped both Emmerdale and Corrie from the schedule just one week after the launch of the new transmission pattern.

A few weeks later, on the week commencing Monday, February 2, both soaps were removed from the schedule for two nights that week.

On Tuesday, February 3, the Arsenal v Chelsea meant no soap power hour and two days later, on Thursday, February 5, they were cut again due to a Six Nations match between France and Ireland.

Social media blew up with disappointment from soap fans; one viewer said: ‘I am fed up of soaps being cancelled due to football. Can’t they put the games on a dedicated ‘free’ channel?’.

A further two agreed by adding: ‘This is so painful. There are very few shows that I like to watch but they keep being shunted’ and ‘This whole new schedule is a ploy to tear our beloved soap episodes away from us’.

Reasons for the new pattern

ITV’s Managing Director of Media and Entertainment Kevin Lygo previously said: ‘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.

‘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.’