ITV boss backs Emmerdale and Coronation Street schedule changes
It looks like the current schedule is here to stay!
ITV boss Kevin Lygo has suggested that the latest soap schedule is here to stay, following on from Emmerdale and Coronation Street moving broadcasting times earlier this year.
Speaking at the Edinburgh TV Festival, ITV's Managing Director of Media and Entertainment was asked about the changes to its schedule, which saw both soaps make the move while the evening news coverage was extended.
This meant that Emmerdale began to clash regularly with EastEnders, which now airs at 7:30pm on a permanent basis rather than moving to suit the other shows.
And it seems that Lygo is standing by that decision, saying: “We extended our entire news for half an hour. And whilst this was for many reasons, my biggest fear was not that people would stop watching news – the news has been such a successful part of our output for so long.
"But moving Emmerdale from 7 o’clock to 7:30 every night, that was the moment I thought, 'I’ll get fired for this if it doesn’t work'."
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ITV News now airs from from 6:30pm until 7:30pm, with Emmerdale bumped to air directly after the programme.
It has taken a while for some to get used to the shift, with Emmerdale having been broadcast at 7pm nightly for a number of years, but Lygo added that ultimately the dramatic change to the schedules has paid off.
"It has worked - and Coronation Street going to three nights a week. What that means is we are the most watched channel every night before 9 o’clock. And for us, particularly commercially, that is significant."
So it seems the ratings speak for themselves, and viewers need not worry that their favourite serial dramas will be in danger of getting yet another transmission time!
Read more coverage from the Edinburgh International TV Festival 2022:
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- BBC Chairman says Netflix's platform is "5 to 10 per cent better" than iPlayer
- Walk the Line and The Games both cancelled at ITV
- ITV boss reveals why the channel is resurrecting Big Brother
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If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide or visit our Soaps hub for the latest news.
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Authors
Laura Denby is a Freelance Soaps writer covering all the latest news in the Dales, Cobbles and East End for Radio Times. She's a soaps nerd with a love for comedy drama, and has also written for Digital Spy, Metro UK and Yahoo UK.
