Overview

• Emmerdale returned to its regular 7:30 pm ITV1 slot on July 23 following Tuesday’s Euro semi-final pre-emption
• EastEnders was taken off air on July 23 for the second Women’s Euro semi-final and will resume its 7:30 pm BBC One broadcast on July 24
• ITV and BBC now upload daily soap episodes to ITVX, YouTube and BBC iPlayer at 7 am to offset evening schedule changes
• Fans have expressed frustration over repeated pre-emptions on linear TV, driving discussions on more viewer-friendly timetables
• ITV plans a back-to-back 30-minute “soaps power hour” for Emmerdale and Coronation Street from January 2026 to balance live sports with consistent drama viewing