ITV has said it plans to continue the cinematic elements seen in soap crossovers, yet Coronation Street and Emmerdale will remain distinct shows.
Soap bosses at ITV are planning more Corriedale-style spin-offs following the success of the initial trial earlier this year. However, they confirmed that Coronation Street and Emmerdale will remain separate and won’t be merging anytime soon.
ITV executive producer Iain MacLeod insisted the two soaps will not be combined, saying: “If you’ve got two incredibly successful brands, why would you blend them together?” Although the crossover attracted 4.7 million viewers, Iain explained that merging the shows wouldn’t work because Emmerdale is “gothic and crazy” while Coronation Street is “more grounded,” and combining them could create a “horrible Frankenstein’s monster.”
He added on the This Is Media City podcast that he wants to develop more streaming spin-offs that weave in and out of the soaps to appeal to younger audiences. “We’re talking about things like micro-dramas, vertical dramas,” he said, noting these projects could feature a “different set of characters” who interact with the main shows.
“That will, we hope, appeal to a slightly younger audience. We’re looking at all sorts of possibilities with this,” Iain added.
The Corriedale crossover saw Debbie Webster and Ronnie Bailey’s wedding end in chaos, with multiple cars caught in a pile-up. Fans were shocked when Billy Mayhew died after Theo Silverton failed to rescue him from an overturned van, which then exploded.
Since then, Coronation Street has shifted to 30-minute weekday episodes, creating a “soap hour” alongside Emmerdale. ITV adjusted the schedule to better match viewers’ screen habits and their growing preference for streaming content.
Iain explained that the soaps have also upgraded their cameras and post-production setup to compete with Netflix hits like Squid Game. “What we don’t want is to be left behind,” he said.
He added: “If your mum is now watching Squid Game on Netflix, you don’t want those viewers to switch to Coronation Street or Emmerdale and feel like it’s from a completely different century or genre. We want to evolve the shows’ look while keeping some of the cinematic flavours we showcased in Corriedale recently.”
Audience reactions to the crossover episode between Weatherfield and Emmerdale were mixed. Some fans, however, were frustrated when potentially funny scenes between Sam Dingle and Kirk Sutherland were cut from the broadcast, with many now calling for more behind-the-scenes content.
Coronation Street has been given a fresh lease of life after ITV struck a deal with Disney+ to bring the soap to the streaming service. New episodes will be available on Fridays, following their broadcast on ITV.
This move is part of a broader push by ITV executives to expand their content and attract a younger audience. The soap will now feature in its own crossover on the streaming platform as part of the “Taste of ITVX” collection on Disney+.
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