Scheduling of Emmerdale

The scheduling of ITV soap opera "Emmerdale" has varied since it was first shown in 1972, increasing from two half-hour episodes a week when it began to four half-hour episodes and one hour long episode each week at present. It has also moved from its original early evening slot to a prime time slot of 7pm.

Soon after the start, the majority of ITV regions chose to accommodate the programme in the 7pm Tuesday and Thursday slot. Anglia Television and Thames Television preferred a Monday and Tuesday 5:15pm slot and saw the week's episodes before the rest of the network.

1972-1987

There were varying seasons of "Emmerdale Farm" and some years only a few episodes were shown:
* 1972 - 20 episodes
* 1973 - 102 episodes
* 1974 - 98 episodes
* 1975 - 61 episodes
* 1976 - 37 episodes
* 1977 - 91 episodes
* 1978 - 74 episodes
* 1979 - 52 episodes
* 1980 - 85 episodes
* 1981 - 73 episodes
* 1982 - 67 episodes
* 1983 - 71 episodes
* 1984 - 75 episodes
* 1985 - 92 episodes
* 1986 - 99 episodes
* 1987 - 99 episodes

1988-1989

From 6 January 1988, all ITV regions networked the show in the Wednesday and Thursday 6.30pm slot. Anglia Television and Central Television chose to move the programme to 7pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays in February 1989, as they were screening the new daily Australian drama "Home and Away" in the "Emmerdale Farm" slot. This was the first time Anglia had screened "Emmerdale Farm" in the 7pm slot. Central were simply returning to the slots they used until December 1987. For a period Anglia and Central saw episodes one week later than other regions.

During this period, the following episodes were transmitted:
* 1988 - 100 episodes
* 1989 - 102 episodes

1990-1992

From January 1990 all other regions followed the Central and Anglia schedule in the familiar Tuesday and Thursday 7pm slot. Enjoying highs of 11 million viewers. During the mid 1990s Scottish Television used the 7pm slot to show daily regional programmes resulting in "Emmerdale" moving to 5:10pm. Scottish Television had always given preference to their own countryside soap opera "Take the High Road", which was accommodated in a 7pm slot. After only several months in the earlier slot Scottish returned "Emmerdale" to the 7pm slot.

During this period, the following episodes were transmitted:
* 1990 - 101 episodes
* 1991 - 103 episodes
* 1992 - 104 episodes

1993-1996

Between 1993 and 1995, "Emmerdale" was shown in a daytime slot with a repeat of the previous evening episode.

During this period, the following new episodes were transmitted:
* 1993 - 103 episodes
* 1994 - 103 episodes
* 1995 - 104 episodes
* 1996 - 106 episodes

1997-2001

By 1 January 1997 ITV had opted to increase their output to three episodes a week with the additional episode being screened on Wednesdays. From 2 October 2000 a further two episodes were added on a Monday and Friday evening. A sixth episode to air on Sundays began in 2004.

During this period, the following new episodes were transmitted:
* 1997 - 157 episodes
* 1998 - 161 episodes
* 1999 - 164 episodes
* 2000 - 187 episodes
* 2001 - 260 episodes

Repeats on Sky

Old episodes of "Emmerdale Farm" were repeated in the 1990s on Sky Soap, the episodes shown in March 1997 were from 1973, but by the time Sky Soap ended in April 1999 the episodes shown were from 1988.

In July 1998, episodes from the first episode of the renamed soap were repeated on Granada Plus, and the 2001 episodes were being shown when the channel ended in October 2004.

Launch of hour long episode on Tuesday

On the week beginning January 14 2008, like Coronation Street, ITV announced they would cease airing "Emmerdale" on a Sunday night in order to produce more episodes of entertainment programming such as "Dancing on Ice" and "Primeval". This means that "Emmerdale" will still air at the same time on a Monday-Friday, it's just that the Tuesday episode will run until 8pm because of the change. It is unknown if Eastenders will relocate it's Tuesday 7.30pm timeslot to an earlier/later time or even another day to avoid losing viewers to "Emmerdale". Producers of the soap revealed that "each hour-long episode on Tuesday (or Thursday) will be specially written and won't be two half-hour ones put together. [" [http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/a83204/emmerdale-confident-about-enders-battle.html 'Emmerdale' confident about 'Enders battle] ", "Digital Spy". URL last accessed 2008-01-06] The hour special episodes had started on New Year's Day 2008, with each Tuesday (or Thursday) episode being given an episode title.

Episode titles

*01/01/08 "Death Becomes Her"
*08/01/08 "Judgement Day"
*15/01/08 "Eye for an Eye"
*22/01/08 "Thicker Than Water"
*29/01/08 "Blood Betrayal" / "Shot by Both Sides"
*05/02/08 "Fair Game" / "High Hopes and Crash Landings"
*12/02/08 "On the Run" / "Fair Game"
*21/02/08 "Heartbreak" / "Daniel's Death"
*26/02/08 "Secrets and Lies"
*06/03/08 "Ashes to Ashes"
*11/03/08 "Deceit"
*18/03/08 "Hit and Run"
*25/03/08 "Boiling Point"
*15/04/08 "Suspicion"
*06/05/08 "Race Against Time"
*13/05/08 "Denial"
*20/05/08 "Affairs of the Heart"
*27/05/08 "Alibi"
*03/06/08 "What Price Love" / "Surprise Surprise"
*17/06/08 "Dog's life"
*24/06/08 "Puff of Smoke"
*01/07/08 "Blood Ties"
*08/07/08 "Winner Takes It All"
*15/07/08 "You've Been Framed"
*22/07/08 "Bye Bye Baby"
*29/07/08 "Risky Business"
*05/08/08 "Behind Closed Doors"
*12/08/08 "Better The Devil You Know"
*19/08/08 "Trial By Fire"
*26/08/08 "Unhappy Birthday"

"Some episodes have been listed in TV listings magazines under one name but a different title has been displayed on the screen at the start of the episode. In the above list, the "official" name given at the beginning of the episode is listed first, followed by the name given in TV listings magazines (taken from The Radio Times, ITV.com and [http://www.OnTheBox.com OnTheBox] )."

ITV has said 'Unhappy Birthday' will be the last episode to have a title.

References