As ITV announces plans to cut its output of Coronation Street and Emmerdale, here's the real story behind the decision and what it means for the future of the soaps

AS MANY as 75 people will lose their jobs on Coronation Street and Emmerdale after ITV announced plans to slash its soap schedule. The channel will make an hour less soap content a week and air

Coronation Street star Jimmi Harkishin has played Dev Alahan on the ITV soap for over two decades but the character will soon be leaving the Cobbles for India

Coronation Street has been pulled from the schedules again this week as the ITV soap is set to air just five episodes a week from now on after a major TV shake-up

Following ITV's announcement regarding schedule changes to its soaps Coronation Street and Emmerdale, industry bodies Equity and The Writers' Guild of Great Britain have criticised cuts made to the number of episodes being produced.

ITV soaps Coronation Street and Emmerdale are to see their content cut by an hour a week between them from next year. Coronation Street currently airs for three hour-long episodes a week, while Emmerdale is four 30-minute episodes plus one hour-long instalment.

Coronation Street and Emmerdale have announced a major shakeup as the ITV soap schedule has been cut in half to give the popular soaps a 'streaming-friendly' pace

ITV has confirmed a huge schedule shake up for its soaps in 2026. Hour-long episodes of Coronation Street are currently broadcast at 8pm on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Emmerdale airs daily at 7.30pm with an hour long episode broadcast on Thursdays.