ITV has confirmed that fans will play a direct role in shaping next year’s highly anticipated Coronation Street and Emmerdale crossover event, giving viewers the power to decide which iconic characters will meet on screen for the very first time.

Dubbed “Corriedale,” the landmark hour-long special will air in early 2026 and promises explosive drama, unexpected alliances, and once-in-a-lifetime interactions between the two soap worlds.

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A Soap First — Viewers Get to Decide Who Crosses Over

In a special announcement video shared on Monday (November 10), cast members from both soaps revealed that fans can now vote for which Coronation Street and Emmerdale characters they want to see share the screen.

The post, shared across both soaps’ official Instagram pages, read:

“Calling all Corrie and Emmerdale fans! This is your chance to pick who you want to see together in our huge Corriedale crossover episode.

INSTRUCTIONS:
1️⃣ Pick ONE character from Corrie and ONE character from Emmerdale.
2️⃣ Tell us your dream duo in the comments.
3️⃣ Wait to see who gets picked! #Emmerdale #Corrie #Corriedale”

ITV confirmed that a final shortlist of potential crossover pairings will be announced in the coming weeks, with fans ultimately deciding which duos make it to the screen.

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Stars Tease the Unmissable Crossover

Representing Coronation Street in the announcement were Jane Hazlegrove (Bernie Winter) and Vinta Morgan (Ronnie Bailey), who teased fans from the iconic Weatherfield set.

Meanwhile, Emmerdale stars Lisa Riley (Mandy Dingle) and Michael Parr (Ross Barton) appeared from the Woolpack, joking about which Corrie characters they’d most like to “bring into the Dales for a drink.”

The crossover will also feature Aaron Dingle (Danny Miller) and DS Lisa Swain (Vicky Myers) as key players in the central plotline — two characters whose storylines have already been linked by betrayal and revenge.

Lisa’s world has been turned upside down by the shocking return of her wife Becky Swain, while Aaron continues to battle the emotional aftermath of discovering his ex-husband John Sugden was a killer.

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“The Soap Gods Demand a Sacrifice”

Earlier this year, ITV’s Head of Continuing Drama Iain MacLeod hinted that the crossover will not only unite fan-favorite characters but also deliver a shocking twist tied to Coronation Street’s upcoming 65th anniversary.

“The soap gods demand a sacrifice when you have an event of this kind,” MacLeod teased. “Expect shocks, drama, and a few broken hearts along the way.”

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Fans Already Dream-Casting Their Crossovers

Social media has exploded with fan suggestions since the announcement, with thousands of comments flooding both shows’ posts.

Among the most popular ideas:

• “Ross Barton and David Platt — comedy gold!”

• “Charity and Carla — imagine the chaos.”

• “Bernie and Mandy teaming up to save Christmas Day!”

• “Tracy Barlow and Chas Dingle — pure fireworks.”

• “Lauren Bolton and Charity having a row in a pub would be legendary.”

Fans have also expressed hopes that Corrie’s Carla and Lisa (known as “Swarla”) and Emmerdale’s Vanity (Charity and Vanessa) will make appearances in the same universe.

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A Fan-Led Moment in Soap History

The Corriedale crossover marks a bold first for ITV — allowing fans to directly influence the storyline of two of Britain’s most beloved soaps.

With voting open now and the shortlist arriving soon, it’s officially up to the audience to decide which characters’ worlds will collide in this unprecedented event.

As the announcement video put it:

“This is your choice.”