For generations, Emmerdale and Coronation Street have been pillars of British television — dependable, dramatic, and deeply woven into the nightly routines of millions.

But a storm is gathering over ITV’s most treasured institutions, and many fans now fear the network may have made a decision that could haunt it for years. The shockwave arrived

with a short, clinical announcement: The British Soap Awards will not air in 2026.

No ceremony. No red carpet. No celebration of the writers, performers, and production teams who keep the engines of Weatherfield and the Dales running day after day.

For some, it sounded like a scheduling tweak.
For devoted viewers, it felt like a warning siren.

Because when a broadcaster stops publicly celebrating its flagship dramas, the question inevitably follows: what does that say about their future?

A tradition suddenly silenced

Since its launch in 1999, the Soap Awards have served as more than a trophy night. They are the genre’s grand family reunion — an evening where rival casts mingle, where iconic feuds are replaced with selfies, and where audiences are reminded just how much craft goes into producing year-round serial storytelling.

Winning matters, of course. But simply being there matters too.

The ceremony generates headlines, social media buzz, viral acceptance speeches, and renewed affection for characters who have become household names. It is marketing, morale, and memory-making rolled into one glittering package.

Take that away, critics argue, and you remove one of the most powerful spotlights the soaps have.

ITV’s statement offered little comfort: the event is “taking a break.” Whether it will return in 2027 remains unclear. That uncertainty has left fans uneasy, suspicious that a pause could quietly become a full stop.

OPINION: Emmerdale and Coronation Street are over

The optics ITV can’t ignore

The timing has raised eyebrows for another reason.

Only last year, the BBC’s EastEnders stormed the ceremony, riding a wave of explosive anniversary storytelling to capture the Best Soap crown. It was a triumphant moment that dominated entertainment coverage and reminded the industry how potent these shows can be when firing on all cylinders.

For ITV’s heavyweights, it was a bruising defeat.

Now, with the awards absent from the calendar, sceptical viewers can’t help but wonder whether retreat has replaced resolve.

Enter “Corriedale”

If ever there was proof that ambition still burns in ITV’s drama department, it came earlier this year in the form of the unprecedented crossover between Emmerdale and Coronation Street.

Dubbed “Corriedale,” the special saw the two fictional universes collide in spectacular fashion, culminating in a catastrophic crash that left lives shattered and futures uncertain. Familiar faces were thrown together in new emotional pairings; heroes rose, secrets detonated, and tragedy carved scars across both communities.

It was daring, expensive, and unapologetically bold.

And it worked.

The episode pulled in more than four million viewers, peaking close to five — the strongest live performance either soap had seen in over a year. For one night, at least, the old magic roared back.

Fans expected the Soap Awards to turn that triumph into a coronation, to freeze the moment in history with clips, applause, and tearful speeches.

Instead, there will be no such victory lap.

A victory without a podium

Imagine training for the Olympics only to discover the medal ceremony has been cancelled. That, many viewers say, is how this feels.

The crossover proved audiences will still show up when offered scale and spectacle. But momentum in television is fragile. Without follow-through — without another tent-pole event to keep conversation alive — even the biggest success can fade.

Awards nights extend the lifespan of storylines. They revive interest, introduce new viewers, and give marketing teams weeks of extra oxygen.

Without them, ITV risks allowing its biggest swings to dissolve into the digital ether.

The scheduling gamble

The network has already reshaped its soap offering with the introduction of a weekday “power hour,” placing Emmerdale and Corrie back-to-back in an attempt to create appointment viewing.

Five hours of drama a week is no small commitment. It signals belief in the format — but also desperation to hold ground in a crowded streaming era.

That makes the absence of the awards feel contradictory. Why double down on output while scaling back celebration?

Fans see mixed messages. Are the soaps central to ITV’s future, or simply reliable workhorses being asked to run without fanfare?

Morale behind the camera

There is another, quieter consequence.

Soap actors operate at a relentless pace, often filming multiple episodes simultaneously while navigating emotionally punishing material. Recognition nights provide affirmation that the grind is worthwhile.

They also highlight craftspeople rarely seen by the public: directors, editors, stunt teams, designers.

Removing that showcase may not immediately change what appears on screen, but over time it can erode the sense of shared achievement that fuels long-running productions.

The digital blind spot

Some fans have floated an obvious compromise: if budgets are tight, why not evolve the ceremony rather than erase it?

A streamed event, heavy on backstage access and interactive voting, could generate enormous online engagement. Soap audiences are fiercely loyal; many now consume episodes via catch-up and YouTube anyway.

In an age obsessed with multiplatform content, cancelling outright feels less like innovation and more like surrender.

Fear of a bigger retreat

Perhaps the loudest anxiety is symbolic.

When institutions begin trimming the traditions around a programme, people naturally wonder whether deeper cuts are coming. Viewers remember other long-running series that slowly lost special episodes, publicity pushes, and promotional muscle before eventually disappearing.

No one wants to imagine Weatherfield’s lights dimming or the Woolpack falling silent. But the cancellation has forced that uncomfortable thought into the open.

Still fighting — but for how long?

None of this means doom is guaranteed. Ratings spikes like Corriedale prove there is appetite left. Characters remain beloved. Online discussion is constant.

Yet television history is full of turning points that only become obvious in hindsight. Decisions that seemed minor at the time later read like early chapters of an ending.

Right now, ITV stands at such a crossroads.

By stepping back from the Soap Awards, the broadcaster may simply be pausing a tradition. Or it may have unintentionally signalled wavering confidence in the very dramas that helped build its identity.

For fans, the message feels chilling: if the network won’t celebrate its soaps, who will?

Until ITV offers reassurance — or a bold new plan — that uncertainty will continue to hang over the cobbles and the countryside alike.

And in the world of serial drama, uncertainty is rarely a comforting place to be.