Coronation Street producers have promised the upcoming season will be filled with “drama, humour, twists and intrigue” in new hour-long time slots.
The changes were announced by ITV in January as Coronation Street is extended to hour-long episodes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8pm, while Emmerdale will move to a 7.30pm slot, directly clashing with BBC soap EastEnders.
Speaking about the upcoming storylines on Coronation Street, producer Iain MacLeod said: “It’s an exciting time for the show and these stories will propel us into the hour-long era with a bang and all the characteristic drama, humour, twists and intrigue that Corrie viewers have come to expect.
“We’ve got high-octane action with tragic heroine Abi, leading to life-and-death dilemmas.
“We’ve got riotous romantic intrigue for Daniel, with deliciously dastardly Daisy pulling out all the stops to keep her man.
“We’ve got the uber-complex Gary, who has finally turned his life around and is atoning for his sins with Kelly, only to find himself facing a final reckoning with the ghosts from his past.
“And we’ve got heart-stopping, high-stakes drama for Sarah, featuring a knife-edge showdown between Adam and his tormentor Lydia, which will leave you wondering which one’s the bad guy.
“All of this in one big serving per night. What’s not to love?”
Get ready for past secrets, lies and liaisons in a dramatic season of must see storylines.
Our new hour-long format starts from 7th March, read more here:https://t.co/YG4VN1qPmA#Corrie @ITV @WeAreSTV @itvhub pic.twitter.com/P9nQcNn1d9
— Coronation Street (@itvcorrie) February 23, 2022
He promised an action-packed season as Abi Webster presses the self-destruct button after her husband Kevin learns of her one-night stand.
Viewers can expect to see dramatic scenes as Abi finds herself in a high-speed stolen car chase and is rushed to hospital where she is forced to make a life-changing decision.
Adam Barlow, who has made a lifetime of mistakes, looks set to lose everything after his ex-girlfriend Lydia gets her revenge and turns his wife Sarah against him.
Meanwhile, terminally ill Laura hires a private detective, forcing killer Gary to answer difficult questions about the murder of Rick Neelan.
Viewers will also see a dark side to Daisy Midgeley as she becomes obsessed with keeping teacher Daniel Osbourne to herself after the reappearance of his old flame.
The gloves are off in Emmerdale as cousins Charity and Chas declare war!
Don’t miss all the drama at the new time of 7.30pm from 7th March: https://t.co/htzTEQs15r#Emmerdale @ITV @WeAreSTV @itvhub pic.twitter.com/HkCy20XhtD
— Emmerdale (@emmerdale) February 23, 2022
Fans of Emmerdale can also expect drama as cousins Charity and Chas Dingle declare a family war.
The timeslot change marks a new era for the soap as it celebrates its 50th year.