Soaps

Soap fans furious as ANOTHER schedule change causes EastEnders and Emmerdale to clash

The BBC and ITV soaps will go head to head on Thursday

Soap fans have expressed their annoyance, after learning that their favourite shows have been messed about with AGAIN in the weekly schedules.

In a last minute change to BBC’s Thursday night viewing, EastEnders will air at 7pm instead of the usual time of 7.30pm.

Rainie kidnaps Abi
Viewers will see the aftermath of Rainie kidnapping Abi in the earlier time slot on Thursday (Credit: BBC)

Read more: EastEnders fans baffled as Mitchells ignore major family member

This, of course, means that the BBC soap set in Walford will clash with ITV’s visit to the Dales, in which Emmerdale viewers are expected to see Dawn attempting to reconnect with her son.

The reason for the EastEnders airing in the earlier time slot is to accommodate Match of the Day Live: FIFA Women’s World Cup, which will air at 7.30pm instead.

Almost all of BBC1’s primetime slot will be dedicated to the England’s women football team facing Norway in the quarter-finals, which kicks off at 8pm.

Women's fifa
Host Gabby Logan will lead the commentary (Credit: BBC)

Read more: Emmerdale fans point out series of annoying ‘blunders’ as Jessie Dingle is shot

While boss Phil Neville will be keen for his squad to do well at the opening quarter-final at Stade Oceane in Le Havre, France, soap fans aren’t so keen – with many blasting the Beeb for airing the football at all.

Writing on Twitter, one livid fan typed: “Men’s or women’s, I don’t care what kind of football it is, I [bleeping] hate them both. Stop [bleeping] with EastEnders.”

“So I have to choose between Emmerdale and EastEnders on Thursday,” wrote someone else.

Another wrote on the ED! website: “So it’s poopball or frigging other sport. Maybe a political programme. Public have no say.”

Dawn gets to know her son in Emmerdale (Credit: ITV)

A third fumed: “Thank you BBC… That’s it, take away the free TV licence from the pensioner and rub salt in the wound by treating them to women’s football or any sport on a weekly basis.”

“Football should be on sport channels, not the BBC,” said one. “They’ve got all the sport channels – choose one of them to put it on.”

Others suggested that football fans wouldn’t be happy if their matches were moved around like the soaps are, and one simply asked: “Why does everything have to stop for sport?”

Some fans, however, were happy to watch the football, insisting that it’s not often that sports fans get to support England at international level.

This is not the only shake-up the show has faced this week, after Tuesday night’s EastEnders aired a double bill – with one at 9pm – while Friday night’s viewing has been cut completely.

Will you be watching the women’s football? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know what you think!


Helen Fear
TV Editor

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