Coronation Street and Emmerdale have just accomplished something nobody was sure was still possible in the age of streaming dominance: getting the entire UK to tune in to watch live on TV at the same time. And Corriedale did it – not just once, but with numbers that made the entire television industry stand up and applaud.

Corriedale – Soap’s Biggest Rating Breakout in 3 Years

Last night, Corriedale officially became the biggest soap event in years.

• Coronation Street (the guide episode): peaks at 3.9 million viewers.

• Emmerdale (the “Driving Guide” episode): peaked at 3.6 million viewers.

• Corriedale (main volume):

• Peak: 4.7 million

• Average viewership for the entire series: 4.2 million

This is the highest live audience for a soap opera in over a year, and the highest live-rated drama program across all channels and platforms since.Call the MidwifeFebruary 2025.

In fact, Corriedale even brought in the highest viewership for ITV since I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! – a significant milestone.

Dominating Television – Sweeping Through Social Media

Not only did Corriedale win on TV, it was also a viral marketing machine:

• 31.6% of television viewers last night

• Over 140 million social media reach across all platforms.

In a time when many soaps are considered “outdated,” Corriedale has proven one thing: when the story is big enough, the audience will still come.

A New Era: Soap Power Hour Officially Begins

Corriedale wasn’t just a special episode. It was the opening salvo for ITV’s “Soap Power Hour”:

• Emmerdale and Coronation Street air seamlessly from Monday to Friday.

• The focus is on the devastating consequences of the multi-vehicle accident: the dead, the injured, a secret explosion, and escalating feuds.

ITV enters the new year with unprecedented momentum, after ITVX recorded a 30% increase in viewership in 2025, reaching over half a billion streams for the first time in its history.

Corriedale Achieved What Soap Always Dreamed Of

A particularly successful episode must accomplish two things:
✔️ Bringing to a close the lengthy storylines
✔️ Unleashes a series of new tragedies

Corriedale did both.

• Becky Swain was finally exposed and apprehended by Lisa Swain, after Carla Connor was rescued by Kit Green.

• David and Shona Platt experienced a terrifying moment when they thought their baby was gone – until the baby moved.

• Shona went into labor, while David suffered a seizure due to his old epilepsy.

• Jodie’s mystery explodes when matching tattoos are revealed… leading to the shocking return of Graham Foster – who was once believed to be dead.

• Cain Dingle was shot while hunting down John Sugden with Robert Sugden to avenge Nate’s death.

Each segment is meticulously crafted to keep the audience captivated, and the aftermath of that night will haunt the characters for months to come.

Corriedale Has Changed the Game

Corriedale is not just a success. It’s a statement.
That English soap is not dead.
That even when two iconic brands join forces, audiences are still willing to return to watch live.
And that Emmerdale and Coronation Street are entering their boldest era in years.

The only question remaining is: can they repeat this miracle once again?