# UK Soap and Drama Discussion > Coronation Street > General >  Corrie to have 6 episodes a week

## Perdita

The nationâs most successful and popular soap drama, Coronation Street, is to broadcast a sixth weekly episode from late 2017, ITV announced today.

ITVâs Director of Television, Kevin Lygo, said the news reflected the broadcasterâs commitment to high quality soap for its hugely loyal audience.
I am a life-long fan of Coronation Street and one of the first things I wanted to explore when I became Director of Television was taking the production to six episodes a week.

The soaps are the cornerstone of the ITV schedule, and Coronation Street continues to
produce some of the finest drama and comedy on television. It is a hugely important part of what has defined ITV throughout its history, and I want it to continue to be right at the heart of what ITV defines in years to come.

As a viewer I have watched the soap as it has continued to evolve, entertain, and grip the
nation with fantastic storylines and this move will be the next exciting chapter in Corrie's story. 
â ITVâs Director of Television, Kevin Lygo.
ITV Studios Managing Director of Continuing Drama and Head of ITV in the North, John
Whiston, who has responsibility for overseeing both Coronation Street and Emmerdale, said:
From a creative perspective this is an extremely exciting development for the production team, writers, cast and crew who work on our globally renowned soap drama. Coronation Streetâs new producer Kate Oates, modern filming and editing facilities at the programmeâs Production Centre and our fantastic, peerless drama teams will help turn this great idea into reality.
â ITV Studios Managing Director of Continuing Drama and Head of ITV in the North, John Whiston.
The plan, which was unveiled to the writers, cast and crew today, will create employment
opportunities adding a new and exciting dimension to filming the UKâs longest running soap drama.

The current layout of the set will be extended to facilitate the expansion in production, and create additional studio space on the 7.7-acre site in Trafford, Manchester. The programme currently has four operational studios, as well as the exterior lot of Coronation Street, and space has been identified on site for the creation of a further filming zone.

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Dazzle (29-06-2016), Glen1 (30-06-2016)

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## Dazzle

Lots of online Corrie fans are already of the opinion quality is suffering because of the pressure of producing five episodes a week.   I think they're probably right.  Will going to six episodes cause a further drop in quality?

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Glen1 (30-06-2016), lizann (29-06-2016), Perdita (29-06-2016), TaintedLove (29-06-2016)

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## TaintedLove

> Lots of online Corrie fans are already of the opinion quality is suffering because of the pressure of producing five episodes a week.   I think they're probably right.  Will going to six episodes cause a further drop in quality?


And its not only the quality that suffers Dazzle. The older ones could be forced out of Corrie if their schedule gets too hectic. And I`m sure they find it hard enough to cope now. Maybe that`s Kate Oates intention all along.
 :Searchme:

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Dazzle (29-06-2016), Glen1 (30-06-2016)

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## lizann

the storylines need to improve majorly

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Dazzle (29-06-2016), Glen1 (30-06-2016), Perdita (29-06-2016)

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## Perdita

As Coronation Street gets ready to air six episodes a week from next year, an internal email to Corrie staff has reassured them over their extra workload.

The Guardian quotes the message from producers as saying that teams will be expanded "right across the board", while the additional episode will mean storylines spread across more characters.

The move will also allow "space for the comedy of the show to really breathe".

"The talent and commitment of the Corrie team, writers, cast, and crew will be central to making a sixth episode into reality," begins the email.

"We'll also have substantial investment in our physical infrastructure, extending the current lot and creating additional studio space. And we'll be able to strengthen and increase our teams right across the board to support making the additional episodes.

"It will also enable us to enhance all the positive things we currently do and are rightly proud of, such as training, apprenticeships, social inclusion, and sustainability.

"Editorially, moving to six episodes will give room for a larger variety of A stories spread more equally across our character groups and families. It will also help us ensure that our lighter stories don't get squeezed out, giving space for the comedy of the show to really breathe."

It continues: "We'll be going on air with six episodes in the autumn of 2017. That's over a year away so it gives us the opportunity to define a bespoke Coronation Street solution for how we'll achieve six, while carefully maintaining and enhancing the quality of what we do.

"To this end we're setting up a project team of subject matter experts from across Corrie and the business. The team will pull together detailed plans covering all the editorial and operational elements.

"All of this will, of course, be done in collaboration with colleagues. In the coming days and weeks, we'll arrange a schedule of face to face meetings so that we can properly discuss the changes and answer your questions."

The change will take effect from late 2017, while an official statement earlier said that a sixth weekly episode reflects ITV's commitment to "high quality soap for its hugely loyal audience".


Digital Spy

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Dazzle (30-06-2016), Glen1 (30-06-2016)

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## Dazzle

_Why an extra episode of Coronation Street each week is a bad thing__

Radio Times' David Brown isn't a fan of ITV's decision to devote more screen time to Corrie_



Six episodes of Coronation Street per week! Thatâs a lot of hot pot to cook. And whatâs the betting we end up chewing on gristle rather than lamb?

OK, so when it comes to Corrie, Iâm old school: such is my lifelong affinity for the show that I can remember having to wait from Wednesday until the following Monday to get the resolution to a cliffhanger. So maybe Iâm not the best judge on this latest scheduling manoeuvre. But come on, ITV â this is surely sacrificing quality for quantity.

Even now, when Corrie or Emmerdale show their regular double bills, thereâs the sneaking suspicion that â if pushed for time â you can just catch the second episode because you know thatâs where the drama is going to be. A sacrilegious thought for completists, but hey, when you have kids to bath and homework to help with, cutbacks have to be made somewhere. If anything, adding in a permanent extra episode is only going to intensify that feeling of Corrie being just that little bit more disposable.

Because will it really matter all that much if we miss the odd instalment? Canât we just get the gist on a two-minute YouTube clip? With so much broadcast time to fill, viewers are bound to think that scripts will be less finessed and performances not so polished. ITV is obviously hoping that this is going to make theirs an appointment-to-view channel for an extra 30 minutes a week. The worry is that it instead becomes a temptation-to-miss.

I mean, you can understand why ITV is going down this road. Corrie, Emmerdale, Simon Cowell and Ant & Dec aside, they are kind of hunting around for hits. So it makes scheduling sense to give fans more of what they like. And Emmerdale â which has been pumping out six episodes a week for years â has just won Best Soap at the British Soap Awards for the first time, mainly thanks to the storytelling skills of producer Kate Oates. Who has now moved over to Corrie. So, it all looks good on paper.

But, Iâm afraid, the Street is not in such robust shape as its fellow soap over the Pennines. Storylines such as Carlaâs exit have lacked credibility, theyâve had to deal with the departures of the likes of long-serving cast members like Alison King and Ryan Thomas, and thereâs the feeling that itâs lost some of the wry humour that made it stand out from its competitors in the first place. Oates has until 2017 to turn the good ship Corrie around, but itâs a tough ask. Particularly when youâre also prepping for that increase in workload.

Plus, you have the fact that Coronation Street works most effectively when it isn't burning through storylines like nobody's business and is instead homing in on small-scale domestic drama that moves and entertains. Is it built to withstand such a punishing regime? Why not commission a new continuing drama for 30 minutes a week instead of working the cast and writers of Corrie like carthorses?

Then thereâs the issue of where this sixth episode is going to land. Maybe 8.30pm on a Thursday? It seems like the only available slot. After all, the experiment of having an episode on a Sunday evening has been long since abandoned. Iâm just keeping my fingers crossed that ITV steers well clear of any competitive scheduling against EastEnders, a tactic that ill-serves the audience and always results in poor returns when it comes to viewing figures.

And, finally, you have to think of the saturation point for even the most rabid Corrie-phile. You want soap fans, not soap slaves. The last thing you need is for devotees to feel beholden to the show they love. When soaps are at their best, they reflect the concerns, dreams and desires of their viewers. In order to accurately depict its audienceâs problems, Coronation Street will soon be filled with characters that are worried about how theyâre possibly going to find time to watch all the episodes of Coronation Street. 

http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2016-...is-a-bad-thing

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Glen1 (30-06-2016), parkerman (30-06-2016), Perdita (30-06-2016), TaintedLove (01-07-2016)

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## TaintedLove

Excellent article, and I agree with every word.
Thanks Dazzle
 :Thumbsup:

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Dazzle (01-07-2016)

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## livden

> And its not only the quality that suffers Dazzle. The older ones could be forced out of Corrie if their schedule gets too hectic. And I`m sure they find it hard enough to cope now. Maybe that`s Kate Oates intention all along.


I know this is an unpopular opinion but I absolutely HATED Kate Oates' writing for Emmerdale. She was all about shocking storylines. Character development and character interactions suffered. She hated certain characters and it showed. Then there was the fact that some characters who used to interact all the time before (friends, family members etc) went months without any interaction. It's like she had no idea how to write for certain characters.

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Dazzle (05-07-2016)

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## livden

> And its not only the quality that suffers Dazzle. The older ones could be forced out of Corrie if their schedule gets too hectic. And I`m sure they find it hard enough to cope now. Maybe that`s Kate Oates intention all along.


I know this is an unpopular opinion but I absolutely HATED Kate Oates' writing for Emmerdale. She was all about shocking storylines. Character development and character interactions suffered. She hated certain characters and it showed. Then there was the fact that some characters who used to interact all the time before (friends, family members etc) went months without any interaction. It's like she had no idea how to write for certain characters.

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## Dazzle

> I know this is an unpopular opinion but I absolutely HATED Kate Oates' writing for Emmerdale. She was all about shocking storylines. Character development and character interactions suffered. She hated certain characters and it showed. Then there was the fact that some characters who used to interact all the time before (friends, family members etc) went months without any interaction. It's like she had no idea how to write for certain characters.


I don't watch Emmerdale but you make me feel pessimistic about Corrie's future.  Kate Oates' failings you've listed above mirror what I recently said on another thread was my opinion of why Corrie is so underwhelming at the moment.  The last thing we need is _yet more_ sensationalism and shallowness at the expense of characterisation...  :Wal2l:

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Perdita (05-07-2016)

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## livden

> I don't watch Emmerdale but you make me feel pessimistic about Corrie's future.  Kate Oates' failings you've listed above mirror what I recently said on another thread was my opinion of why Corrie is so underwhelming at the moment.  The last thing we need is _yet more_ sensationalism and shallowness at the expense of characterisation...


This is just my personal opinion. Most Emmerdale viewers were happy with Kate Oates' work. I wasn't one of them though. She was all about shocking storylines and very little characterisation, the helicopter crash etc. It's funny, because in the other thread this is one of the things they consider a strength, but it's a weakness to me. But then again, that's just me. Truth is I wouldn't mind a shocking storyline now and again, I just felt like Kate Oates went there far too often on Emmerdale. Oh well, guess we'll see what happens on Corrie. Maybe it won't be as bad as I think, at least I hope so.

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Dazzle (05-07-2016)

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## Dazzle

> This is just my personal opinion. Most Emmerdale viewers were happy with Kate Oates' work. I wasn't one of them though. She was all about shocking storylines and very little characterisation, the helicopter crash etc. It's funny, because in the other thread this is one of the things they consider a strength, but it's a weakness to me. But then again, that's just me. Truth is I wouldn't mind a shocking storyline now and again, I just felt like Kate Oates went there far too often on Emmerdale. Oh well, guess we'll see what happens on Corrie. Maybe it won't be as bad as I think, at least I hope so.


I agree with you: too many shocks and twists can lost their impact and get boring.  We want some of course, as long as they're realistic within the Corrie universe and in character for those involved.  I think there was almost universal agreement for instance that the Lewis conning Gail storyline and final twist were perfect.

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Perdita (05-07-2016)

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## Perdita

So, where exactly will the much-talked-about sixth episode of Coronation Street fit into the schedules?

ITV boss Kevin Lygo was keeping very tight-lipped when he was interviewed at the Edinburgh Television Festival this week - but he did promise that fans are in for a welcome surprise. Let's hope so, eh?

Corrie's output will increase from five episodes to six in autumn 2017, but exact details of how the schedule will change have remained under wraps.

Speaking about the extra episode, Lygo commented: "Obviously I'm not going to tell you where it's going, but it's going to go in a marvellous place that everybody's going to be thrilled with."

Could he have been hinting at a return to Corrie on Sundays, the option which seems to be most favoured by fans? 

Only time will tell, but Lygo was clear about just how seriously the channel is taking the introduction of the sixth episode.

He explained: "It's not going to come in until much later next year, because I wanted to get it absolutely right. One thing is for sure, I can't muck about with Coronation Street. It's arguably the most important show on the channel. 

"So an extra episode is great if you're a Coronation Street fan, which I am, but it needs to be very carefully handled in the production sense. I can't tell you the complexities of going from five episodes to six, it's weirdly disproportionate. 

"I'm very fortunate in having Kate Oates, who's the new producer of the Street, who has come over from Emmerdale where they've been making six episodes for several years now. It involves quite a change in production."

Opinions have been divided on the introduction of a sixth episode, with fans initially accusing ITV of "overkill" when the decision was announced in June.

ITV has promised that the current layout of the Coronation Street set will be expanded to help facilitate the change in production.

Additional studio space will be created on the existing site in Trafford, Manchester and it's also expected that new characters will be introduced to help create more storylines.

Digital Spy

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Dazzle (26-08-2016)

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## Perdita

Coronation Street has finally revealed when the show will move to its new schedule of six episodes a week.

An extra weekly episode has been in the works for a long time, and was announced in the summer of 2016. Today (September 6), the ITV soap confirmed that it is indeed putting those plans into action â this very month, in fact.

The sixth episode will air on Wednesdays at 8.30pm, meaning that fans will get double helpings on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

The new schedule kicks off on Wednesday, September 20, just in time for the double wedding of Eva & Aidan and Jenny & Johnny.

Furthermore, construction work is in progress to deliver additional studio space and "more exterior filming opportunities". The expansion will finish early next year, and fans can hope to see the new areas in the spring.

Coronation Street executive producer Kieran Roberts said: "Getting ready to deliver our extra weekly episode has taken our amazing team more than a year of hard work on everything from story-lining to studio building.

"Now we're thrilled to be launching our extra weekly episode on Wednesday, September 20 at the heart of a truly unmissable week of high drama, high emotion, and heartwarming comedy."

Back in February, Roberts stated that the extra weekly episode would allow for a stronger emphasis on comedy, as well as a focus on lesser-known characters.


Digital Spy

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