Fury as soap is pushed back for extended news

FOR decades, the opening titles of Emmerdale have rolled at precisely 7pm.

But fans have reacted furiously after ITV bosses launched their new evening schedule and delayed the soap by 30 minutes to make way for an extended news broadcast.

Viewers took to social media in droves, with one writing: ‘ITV News was already a patronising slog at half an hour. Get Emmerdale on pronto.’

Another said: ‘Bring back Emmerdale at 7pm. We don’t need depression forced on us.’

A further post read: ‘Some of us just want a relaxing few hours of escapism.’

The changes, introduced last Monday, mean regional news is on from 6pm to 6.30pm followed by a full hour of national and world news before Emmerdale starts.

Coronation Street, which previously occupied the 7.30pm slot, now begins at 8pm.

An Emmerdale spokesman said: ‘With the new scheduling, viewers can watch our soaps live on TV in one go.

‘Both Coronation Street and Emmerdale have this week attracted live audiences topping four million, regularly being the most watched programmes of the night, outside of news programming.’