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World Cup Forces EastEnders, Coronation Street and Emmerdale Into New Channels and Times

Broadcasters are shifting, extending and cancelling primetime soap slots this week so live 2026 World Cup matches can air while keeping weekly episode totals.

Overview

  • EastEnders was moved to BBC Two at its usual 7:30pm on Monday and Tuesday and returned to BBC One at a later 8:30pm slot on Wednesday and Thursday, with all four 30‑minute episodes preserved.
  • ITV ran hour‑long Emmerdale and Coronation Street episodes on Monday and Tuesday and cancelled both soaps on Wednesday and Thursday, then planned a return to normal half‑hour slots on Friday.
  • The BBC is releasing EastEnders episodes early on BBC iPlayer from 6am and soap teams and broadcasters have posted revised schedules on official social accounts to guide viewers.
  • Both networks say the changes keep the same number of weekly episodes by shifting channels, delaying start times or lengthening episodes instead of cutting storylines.
  • Separately, tabloids report Ronni Ancona may leave EastEnders in the coming weeks but that casting claim is unconfirmed in the coverage and treated as a less well corroborated item.