Posted in : TV| Tagged : Coronation Street , emmerdale , Writers Guild of Great Britain
The Writer ’s Guild of Great Britain is reacting to ITV ’s major changes to soaps Coronation Street and Emmerdale that will cost jobs .
ITV hasannounced plansto cut the runtime for long - draw soap operasCoronation StreetandEmmerdaleinstead of opt for an increase in the number of hebdomadary episode for 2026 . Bosses say the new schedule will allow viewers to " watch their favourite soap … in a more digestible way " . However , the move could also see a reduction in the work force across both set inManchesterandLeeds , with ITV reportedly set to extend a number of employees voluntary redundance packages . Those redundancies will admit writers and a reduction of their requital per episode , which has prompted aresponsefrom the Writers ' Guild of Great Britain ( WGGB ) , the British writer jointure , and a babe union to the Writer ’s Guild of America ( WGA ) .
A Brief History of Coronation Street and Emmerdale to the Uninitiated
Coronation Streetis presently the longest - pass soap opera on British idiot box . When it first take up , the soap was transmitted twice a week on December 9th , 1960 , and increased to three episode a week in October 1989 , before adding a 4th hebdomadal instalment in November 1996 . A fifth episode was then tot up in October 2002 , and a sixth episode in September 2017 . In March 2022,Coronation Streetmoved to three - hr - long episodes a calendar week . Coronation Streetcurrently airs minute - foresighted episode on Mondays , Wednesdays , and Fri from 8 necropsy . Emmerdaleairs half - an - 60 minutes episodes at 7:30 pm every weekday – apart from on Thursdays when the show has a 60 - moment runtime . Under the 2026 schedule , both shows will bare back - to - back 30 - hour episode every weekday . Millie Gibsongot her start onCoronation Street , respectively . It was her work onCoronation Streetthat caughtRussell T. Davies ' and toy a part in her getting cast off as Ruby Sunday onDoctor Who .
Emmerdaleairs at 7.30 phase modulation on weekdays as 30 - min episodes , apart from Thursdays when the show runs for one hr . WhenEmmerdalebegan in 1972 , it started as two days a week . The show went from three instalment to five episodes in 2000 and moved from five installment to six episodes in 2004.Emmerdale ’s single hour - recollective instalment of the workweek has aired on Sundays , Tuesdays , and , most recently , Thursdays . A very youngJenna Colemanwas a regular onEmmerdalebefore she eventually ended up onDoctor Who .
Writer’s Guild of Great Britain Responds to ITV’s Timeslot Cut
In response to the ITV proclamation that there would be a reduction of 52 episode per twelvemonth forCoronation StreetandEmmerdale , WGGB ChairEmma Reevessaid , " ITV ’s announcement today of cut to episode numbers onCoronation StreetandEmmerdaleis a tangible cause for headache , coming in the aftermath of the axing of BBCDoctorslast yr and the cancellation ofHolbybefore that . The reduction from six to five episodes per week onCoronation StreetandEmmerdalefrom 2026 means fewer opportunity for workplace for our members and a further blow to continuing drama . We are seek further clarity from ITV and speak to our bear upon members as a matter of urgency . We are holding a meeting for touched writer on Friday , 7 February , at 11 am online . Members will have received an email with information about how to bring together . For further selective information or for affected members who would wish advice , please contacteleanor@writersguild.org.uk "
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