British Soap Awards scrapped again as ITV confirms 2026 hiatus

ITV has confirmed that the British Soap Awards will not air in 2026. 

This marks the second time the long-running ceremony has been put on pause in recent years.

“The British Soap Awards is taking a break and won’t be on air in 2026,” the broadcaster said in a statement. 

The event traditionally airs in early summer and brings together stars from Coronation Street, Emmerdale, and EastEnders to celebrate achievements across British soap television.

Hosted by Jane McDonald since 2023, the awards returned in 2025 after previously being cancelled in 2024 without explanation. The comeback ceremony, held at London’s Hackney Empire, had raised expectations that the show was back permanently.

EastEnders won Best Soap at the most recent event following a landmark year that coincided with its 40th anniversary. However, rival soaps will not have the opportunity to compete for the title next year.

The decision comes despite a strong start to 2026 for the genre. Coronation Street and Emmerdale recently aired an unprecedented crossover storyline, dubbed “CorrieDale,” centered on a dramatic car crash linking the two fictional communities. The episodes delivered both shows their highest monthly streaming figures on record and drew 5.9 million viewers, making it ITV’s biggest audience of January.

First launched in 1999 and originally presented by Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan, the British Soap Awards became a staple of the TV calendar for more than two decades. It remains unclear whether the ceremony will return in 2027.