Claudette and Liam in Emmerdale

Over the last week Emmerdale has been pulled off air twice to make way for the football, but fans aren’t happy and have demanded football be shown on its own channel.

Both Emmerdale and Coronation Street were pulled from the schedule on Friday and Monday, as ITV showed coverage of England’s World Cup qualifiers.

Soap fans have been fuming at the schedule changes and don’t believe they should have to miss out.

Manpreet and Ella in the cafe in Emmerdale
Viewers are eager to find out what happens to Ella (Credit: ITV)

Emmerdale taken off the air for football

Emmerdale usually airs Monday to Friday at 7.30pm. But due to live football coverage it has not been on since Thursday.

It’s even worse for Coronation Street fans, who haven’t had an episode of the soap since Wednesday night.

On Friday night, ITV aired coverage of England’s World Cup qualifier against Albania, while Monday night saw England play Latvia in another qualifier at Wembley Stadium.

The last episode of Emmerdale saw Ella Forster being blamed for messing with Chas’s medication, causing her to collapse. Despite pleading her innocence, Ella was arrested after Liam called the police.

Viewers can find out what happens to Ella in a special hour long episode on Tuesday, March 25, from 7pm.

Chas catches Liam looking through her stuff in Emmerdale
Chas isn’t happy when she catches Liam rooting through her things (Credit: ITV)

Emmerdale fans demand football be moved to own channel

Emmerdale fans have complained that soaps are being disrupted for sport more regularly these days and they’re not happy.

“Not everyone watches football and I’m sick of all the schedules being changed. Why not have one channel dedicated to it and leave the others alone,” wrote one fan on Facebook.

“Football should be on sports channel, why disturb other channels and spoil other people’s pleasure. Soo annoying,” said a second fan.

A third fan asked: “Why can’t sport just have its own channel, especially when there are channels for everything else these days.” While a fourth fan added: “Sick of soaps being taken off for football, give it there own channel.”

A fifth fan wrote: “Why does everything have to change just for damn football…Why can’t they show football on another ITV channel.”

Another viewer fumed: “So peed off with the changes, the whole country are not football mad. Why not put the football on bbc2 or on the sky channels. Why should half the country be put out when crap stations can have the football showing. Every year we have to deal with this!”

Read more: Who’s leaving Emmerdale in 2025? A complete guide to departures, returns and new arrivals in the Dales

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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