Why isn't EastEnders and Emmerdale on tonight? Soap schedule shake-up explained
Tuesday night's episodes of Eastenders and Emmerdale have both been cancelled due to rescheduling from the BBC and ITV.
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The latest instalment of the BBC soap has been postponed in favour of Match of the Day Live, which will see Gary Lineker lead the coverage of the Middlesborough vs Tottenham Hotspur game from 7.30pm.
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Over on ITV, Emmerdale has been delayed as the channel airs the Peterborough United vs Manchester City football match. The coverage begins at 6.45pm with the game beginning half an hour later.
Fans of the Yorkshire soap won't be missing out, however, as ITV aired a double episode on Monday night to make up for Tuesday's reschedule.
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Corrie fans needn't worry either as the soap isn't usually scheduled to run on Tuesdays and instead airs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Eastenders and Emmerdale have been postponed
The news of the soap shake-up comes just before a major rescheduling on ITV. The news is due to be extended for an extra half an hour, while Emmerdale will air at 7.30pm rather than 7pm and Coronation Street will be shown for an hour from 8pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
The BBC will also be shaking up the timings for their usual visit to Albert Square as the soap will now be broadcast Monday through to Thursday at 7.30pm. This means that Eastenders will be going up against Emmerdale in competing for viewership.
ITV and BBC are covering football matches in the usual soap slots
ITV’s Managing Director of Media and Entertainment, Kevin Lygo announced the changes, saying: "As viewing habits rapidly change, live audiences to our national and international news programmes remain remarkably strong.
"The nation’s two most popular continuing dramas, Coronation Street and Emmerdale, are fundamental to the success of ITV, and we know that, as with all dramas, viewers increasingly watch them whenever, and however they choose."
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