Emmerdale will not air at 8pm tonight, here’s why and when it’s back
There is huge disruption to Emmerdale's schedule coming this week
Emmerdale fans hoping for their usual Friday night visit to the village are in for a surprise tonight, as the soap has vanished from the schedules once again.
ITV has been making regular changes to its soap line-up thanks to sport and special programming, and June is proving no different. If you’re wondering when Emmerdale is back on screen and whether you’ll be able to watch it on ITVX, here’s everything you need to know.
Is Emmerdale on tonight and can you watch it on ITVX?
On Friday, June 5, Emmerdale will not air in its usual 8pm slot on ITV. Coronation Street is also missing from the schedule, with both soaps taking the night off before returning on Sunday, June 7.
To make up for the disruption, ITV will air an extra episode of each soap on Sunday.
Because there is no new episode tonight, viewers also won’t find Emmerdale or Coronation Street available on ITVX or YouTube. New instalments are normally uploaded from 7am each morning, but there is no early release when an episode has been pulled from the schedule.
With football, rugby and other live events continuing to dominate parts of the ITV schedule, soap fans have become increasingly used to checking transmission times. Some viewers have even suggested ITV should move the soap power hour earlier in the evening to reduce the number of clashes.
What happens next in Emmerdale?
When Emmerdale returns on Sunday, Charity’s nightmare with Dr Todd takes a devastating turn.
Todd has made it clear she wants paying or she’ll expose Charity’s secret during Sarah’s 21st birthday celebrations. Backed into a corner, Charity eventually calls Todd’s bluff and dares her to reveal everything.
For a moment, it appears a truce may have been reached. Todd cannot bring herself to expose the secret and instead admits she enjoys the chaos surrounding Charity’s life.
But any peace is short-lived.
Todd soon turns on Charity and sexually assaults her, leaving Charity facing one of the darkest ordeals of her life.
Elsewhere, Kim shares her suspicions about Sam and Laurel with Lydia, prompting Lydia to confront her husband. At the same time, Laurel begins to worry that Ross is developing deeper feelings than she expected, leaving her with a difficult decision to make.
ITV’s soap power hour remains popular
ITV launched its new soap ‘power hour’ in January 2026. It keeps Emmerdale on air five nights a week while continuing the 7am ITVX releases.
The soap also moved to its current 8pm slot, while the former Thursday double bill was reduced to a single half-hour episode to allow for extra Coronation Street content.
The shorter format has proved popular with many viewers, offering quicker-paced episodes that are easier to fit into busy evenings.
One thing the schedule overhaul hasn’t solved, however, is the ongoing disruption caused by major sporting events. So for now, fans may still need to keep one eye on the TV guide before settling down for a night in the Dales.
ITV rolled out a brand new schedule for the soaps in January 2026, dubbed the soap power hour. Emmerdale continues to air five nights a week, with episodes still available on ITVX from 7am, but it has moved to a later 8pm slot instead of 7.30pm.
Coronation Street has also undergone a major change, switching from hour-long episodes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday to half-hour episodes every weeknight at 8.30pm. Emmerdale’s traditional Thursday double bill has been cut back to make room.
The idea is simple: faster-paced, more digestible 30-minute episodes, a format that has already proven popular with viewers. But has it paid off?
Soap power hour verdict
The response has been largely positive. Many viewers say they are loving the shorter episodes and the nightly routine.
“I love the new soaps schedule,” wrote one fan on social media. “So much better having the episodes on 30 mins a night in my opinion.”
Another agreed: “Finally, I can watch my three favourite soaps in a row. Much prefer this schedule and the 30 min episodes.”
Others have noticed a shift in quality too, particularly since Corriedale. “Since Corriedale Emmerdale has been so much better. The longer scenes and actual fallout from events has been so good,” one viewer commented.
Someone else added: “These shows this week feel different. Better. Somewhat character driven which is all I’ve ever wanted to return to the shows.”
One change needed
Despite the praise for the soap power hour, there is one big sticking point for some fans: the timing. The 8pm slot is not a winner in some eyes and people feel it should move to 7pm instead.
“I think Emmerdale should be on at 7pm then Corrie at 7.30pm so it won’t be too late,” suggested one viewer.
Another added: “Can’t help feeling that the 8pm timeslot will mean losing viewers who watch it live. You’re up against bigger programs such as The Traitors in that time slot. 7pm was the best slot for Emmerdale I felt.”
Others echoed the sentiment, arguing the power hour would work better earlier in the evening. “It would be better if it was an hour earlier. Emmerdale belongs at 7pm, and Coronation Street at 7.30,” said one fan.
