Coronation Street and Emmerdale confirm bumper crossover episode for new 2026 schedule launch
The two ITV soaps will be coming together to celebrate the new soap schedule.
ITV has confirmed that Coronation Street and Emmerdale will have a crossover episode in January 2026.
The two soaps will be part of a new schedule shake-up on the channel, which will see both soaps air half-hour episodes on weekdays for an hour from 8pm.
The episodes will continue to be dropped on streaming service ITVX at 7am so fans can watch early online, similar to BBC iPlayer's release of EastEnders.
However, this hour-long crossover event will be used to launch the new schedule before this new staple scheduling begins.
ITV described the soap as "self-contained, but the consequences of the high-stakes drama will have repercussions for both communities and see them linked forever as familiar faces depart and exciting new characters arrive into both soaps."
This will no doubt delight soap fans, but ITV stressed in the announcement that it would be for "one night only", so don't expect this to be a regular occurrence.
An interactive element for the episode will also occur as the soaps will soon reveal on social media that viewers will have a chance to vote on two characters, one from each soap, to cross paths.
So, who would we like to see interact?
ITV's announcement cited insights which found greater audience engagement on half-hour episodes as being responsible for the schedule shake-up, and is aiming to show its commitment to the genre by launching a new soaps hub on ITVX and dedicating more marketing for the genre in the coming months.
Read more:
- 5 Coronation Street spoilers for next week: Will Craig Tinker die after violent showdown?
- Emmerdale airs major ultimatum and dark twist in ITVX release
- Jacob Roberts teases Kit's blackmail twist and Coronation Street flashback reveal
- Farrel Hegarty on Lou's 'blind love' for volatile Mick in Coronation Street
Visit our dedicated Coronation Street and Emmerdale pages for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers.
Check out more of our Soaps coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what else is on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
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Lewis is the News and Trends Editor at Radio Times and leads our approach to news, reactive content, and serving audience demands and interests. An obsessive fan of television and film, Lewis is a Nicole Kidman fanatic with a side of passion for science-fiction, art-house cinema and the latest HBO drama. Lewis has a degree in Psychology and a Masters in Film Studies. After working in advertising, Lewis worked at The Mirror for three years in community management and SEO, showbiz, film and television reporting.
