Soap fans have been left up in arms after ITV released the TV schedule for Christmas day.
The channel have revealed that both Coronation Street’s and Emmerdale’s Christmas episodes will only run for half an hour, rather than the traditional hour long specials.
Emmerdale will air at 6:30pm before fans are then treated to a festive visit to Weatherfield at 7pm, before The Masked Singer kicks off at 7:30pm.
While Christmas time is usually an iconic time for the soaps, with the Christmas episode a highlight of the year, it seems as though there won’t be as much drama come the close of 2023.
Breaking traditions, the shorter episode will mark the first time since Coronation Street has aired for just 30 minutes on Christmas day since 1997 and similarly a first for Emmerdale since 2004.
Coronation Street and Emmerdale fans are FUMING as ITV ruthlessly cuts the iconic Christmas Day soaps
The channel have revealed that both Coronation Street ‘s and Emmerdale ‘s Christmas episodes will only run for half an hour, rather than the traditional hour long special
Taking to Twitter the soap fans were fuming as they shared their thoughts on ITV’s appalling schedule.
One wrote: ‘Why are the soaps only half an hour on Christmas Day on ITV? Normally hour long episodes’.
A second added: ‘Wow. Pretty poor that, from both. (In my opinion)’ while a third chimed: ‘That’s horrific’.
Another speculated: ‘#Emmerdale and #Corrie must be in a mess if they aren’t on for a hour like normal. #Christmas’.
Another commented: ‘Corrie and Emmerdale only for a half and hour each that’s disgraceful’.
Another stated: ‘From what I can gather, Christmas day episodes of #Corrie and #Emmerdale are both half hour rather than hour long’ alongside a confused face emoji.
Another wrote: ‘Won’t be watching #itv1 this Xmas then, what a s**t schedule.’
Another added: ‘HUGE changes. ITV cuts both #Corrie and #Emmerdale to half hour Christmas Day slots for the first time in 26 years.
‘I don’t think Emmerdale has EVER had a half hour episode on the day!!’
Emmerdale will air at 6:30pm before fans are then treated to a festive visit to Weatherfield at 7pm, before The Masked Singer kicks off at 7:30pm
Taking to Twitter the soap fans were up in arms as they shared their thoughts on ITV’s appalling schedule
Yet others seemed to agree with ITV’s decision as they suggested that neither soap have gripping enough storylines to compete with BBC rival EastEnders.
One explained: ‘#Corrie haven’t got a decent enough storyline going atm to give us a decent hour long Christmas episode anyway. It feels very lacklustre this year…’
A second added: ‘The ITV soaps being 30 mins each on Xmas Day makes sense. #Corrie and #Emmerdale should save their higher profile eps for later in the week when all eyes aren’t on the BBC. And, realistically, the #EastEnders Six is the year’s major plotline. So why bother competing on the 25th?’
A third wrote: ‘#Eastenders is breaking boundaries right now #Corrie and #Emmerdale could never! Just give EE all the awards!!’
Another penned: ‘ITV cutting the soaps to just 30 minute episodes each on Christmas Day. Correct decision I feel #Corrie #Emmerdale’.
A fifth added: ‘Probably unpopular opinion but I don’t think soaps should be shown on Christmas Day. Get enough of them on all the other days of the year.’
A sixth wrote: ‘If i’ve got this right for you it’s 4:40-#Strictly 6:30-#Emmerdale 7:00-#Corrie Break between 7:30 and 9:45 then the big one from #Eastenders-i’m beginning to think either Nish or Dean and yet this still could go either way! #ChristmasDay’.
Yet others seemed to agree with ITV’s decision as they suggested that neither soap have gripping enough storylines to compete with BBC rival EastEnders
Meanwhile EastEnders fans are in for a treat as the dramatic whodunnit episode is finally unveiled.
The soap has been teasing a huge revelation during its Christmas episode where viewers will find out the identity of the dead body seen in The Vic.
The BBC soap made history in an episode back in February when they teased a flash forward, but the identity of the corpse and the killer were kept secret.
In the shocking scenes, Denise (Diane Parish), Kathy (Gillian Taylforth), Linda (Kellie Bright), Sharon (Letitia Dean), Stacey (Lacey Turner) and Suki (Balvinder Sopal) were seen standing over a mystery dead body.