Emmerdale will not air at 8pm tonight, here’s why and when it’s back

 

Emmerdale fans are once again having to keep an eye on the schedules as ITV’s ever shifting line up continues to cause changes to the soap’s usual routine, including tonight. With football, rugby and special broadcasts all taking priority at different points, the programme has been moved around repeatedly in recent weeks, and Monday July 6 is no exception.

If you are wondering whether the Dales drama is on as usual, here is everything you need to know about the latest update.

What time is Emmerdale on tonight, is it on ITVX?

On Monday July 6, Emmerdale will air on ITV and will be shown as a full hour long episode. It will not be in its usual slot. It will instead air earlier than some viewers might expect, running from 7.30pm to 8.30pm.

Coronation Street, which normally follows Emmerdale, will also air on the same evening. It is scheduled to run from 8.30pm to 9.30pm.

For those who prefer not to wait for the evening broadcast, the episode will also be available to stream on ITVX and YouTube. These episodes are typically released from 7am each day, giving fans an early chance to catch up.

The ongoing FIFA tournament has added further disruption to the schedules, with matches now reaching the knockout stages. ITV and the BBC are sharing coverage of the games, which means soap timings are being adjusted around live sport and cannot always be confirmed too far in advance.

As a result, viewers have been left dealing with a fair amount of last minute changes. The full weekly schedule sometimes only becoming clear once sporting fixtures are locked in.

Some fans have even suggested that bringing forward the so called soap power hour could help reduce the disruption, allowing Emmerdale and Coronation Street to still air without clashing so heavily with the football coverage.

What happens in Emmerdale tonight

In tonight’s episode, tensions rise for Cain as he loses his temper with Kyle before storming off. Moira is quick to challenge him over his behaviour. She accuses him of taking his anger out on the wrong person.

However, Cain soon becomes distracted after spotting something in the window. He rushes outside and is forced into action. He discovers that Kyle has set fire to a shed and that Monty is trapped inside.

Cain manages to kick down the door and eventually stumbles out of the burning shed carrying Monty in his arms. He quickly rushes the animal to the vets. Kyle is then left overwhelmed with guilt over what has happened.

Paddy advises Cain that the situation could be serious. He warns that the family needs to be prepared for the worst. Despite trying to stay calm, Cain cannot hide his anger towards Kyle as emotions run high.

Soap power hour proves a major ITV hit

Back in October 2024, Emmerdale began making its daily episode available to stream from 7am on ITVX. While some viewers initially feared the soap could be struggling, especially alongside a number of cast departures, the move has since proven to be a strong one for ITV, with viewing figures reportedly rising.

The channel later confirmed a new scheduling approach, with the Emmerdale power hour introduced in January 2026. The soap continues to air five nights a week, while new episodes still drop each morning on ITVX at 7am.

The main change saw Emmerdale move into an 8pm slot, while the Thursday double bill was reduced to a single half hour episode. This adjustment was made to accommodate extra episodes of Coronation Street and to help streamline the soap schedule overall.

ITV has said the aim is to deliver quicker, more focused storytelling with shorter, more digestible episodes that fit modern viewing habits.

However, as this week shows, even the new structure is not completely immune to disruption when major sporting events take priority.