Emmerdale fans livid over Christmas Day episode shake-up: 'Total disgrace!'

ITV has revealed its Christmas Day schedule and Emmerdale fans are furious over the show airing that day.

Christmas is traditionally a big time for the soaps, with viewers looking forward to storylines that have been building up over the year. And with show boss Iain MacLeod recently promising the “most exciting” Christmas in Emmerdale history, the stakes are pretty high.

So when it was revealed this week that the soap will only air for half an hour on Christmas Day, it left a bad taste in many fans’ throats.

The decorations are up, but will it be a Merry Christmas in Emmerdale? (Credit: ITV)

Emmerdale to air on Christmas Day

It has been confirmed that Emmerdale will air every night across the Christmas week on ITV. On Monday December 23 it will be on in it’s usual 7.30pm slot for half an hour. On Christmas Eve, it moves back to 7pm, but still for half an hour.

Then on Christmas Day Emmerdale will air at 6.30pm. This is an hour earlier than it usually shows. And it will only be on for half an hour.

Boxing Day we will get a full hour-length episode starting at 6.30pm and then on Friday December 27 it’s back to 30 minutes at 7.30pm.

Although this sticks to the soap’s usual amount of episodes, many fans have been left annoyed that there’s only a half an hour episode on Christmas Day.

Fans react

“Emmerdale only on for 30 mins whilst Corrie gets a full one-hour slot,” said one. Someone replied to them: “Not fair.”

Another added: “Especially when it’s a Kim Tate Christmas. At least there’s an hour installment on Boxing Day.”

“No hour-long Emmerdale on Christmas Day again. Total disgrace,” raged one more.

Kim and Will are planning a Christmas vow renewal (Credit: ITV)

Emmerdale confirms a Kim Christmas

Show boss Iain MacLeod told Digital Spy back in September: “This Christmas, there is a huge surprise arrival on Christmas Day. As well as some life or death jeopardy on Christmas Day – but obviously there will be festive brilliance as we do every year – but I think it is one of the most exciting Christmases that I can remember on Emmerdale this year!”

He continued to promise “incredibly heartbreaking family drama with plenty of Dingle action. There is also some classic gothic antics at Home Farm – some skullduggery!”

We’ve also been assured Belle will be in a much better place by Christmas. Phew!

And new spoilers have now revealed Kim Tate will be at the centre of Christmas 2024. Will is plotting against his wife after they recently reconciled. He’s in cahoots with her business advisor Peter and a mystery person to bring Kim down. And it’s all set to take off at Christmas.

Will asks her to renew their vows on Christmas Day and Kim is overjoyed. As she puts extra effort into making the festive season one to remember, does she know Will is plotting against her? Or will she be left heartbroken when she finds out?

For his part, Will is at least starting to feel a wave of guilt. But is it enough to make him stop the takedown altogether?

Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm, with an early release on ITVX at 7am.

Classic Emmerdale usually airs every weekday on ITV3 at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.40pm and 2.10pm.

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