What Time Is Emmerdale on Tonight? Your Boxing Day TV Guide

26 December 2025 Television

Emmerdale’s Boxing Day Schedule

For viewers wondering what time Emmerdale is on tonight, the popular ITV soap will air on Boxing Day, Friday 26 December, at 6:30pm. This represents a slight change from the soap’s regular evening slot, as the festive period brings adjusted scheduling across ITV’s lineup.

Why Emmerdale Matters to Millions

Emmerdale remains one of Britain’s most beloved television programmes, consistently drawing millions of viewers to the fictional Yorkshire village. Recent statistics reveal that ITVX achieved record-breaking viewing figures with a billion streams in the first quarter of 2025, with Coronation Street and Emmerdale raking up 124 million streams and soap viewing up 35 percent compared to the first quarter of 2024. This demonstrates the enduring appeal of the long-running drama.

How to Watch Tonight’s Episode

Tonight’s Boxing Day episode will be a 30-minute instalment, offering viewers their festive dose of drama from the Dales. For those who prefer streaming, new episodes are available from 7am weekdays on ITVX, meaning Boxing Day’s episode was already available online this morning.

Looking Ahead: Schedule Changes in 2026

From January 2026, significant changes are coming as the soap ‘power hour’ begins, with Emmerdale moving to a new time slot of 8pm. The soap will continue to air five nights a week, with new episodes dropping on ITVX every morning at 7am as usual. These changes reflect ITV’s evolving strategy to balance traditional broadcast viewing with streaming preferences.

What This Means for Viewers

The Boxing Day broadcast demonstrates Emmerdale’s importance in the festive television landscape. Both Coronation Street and Emmerdale are airing on Christmas Eve, Boxing Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, putting them right at the heart of the festive schedules. For fans planning their holiday viewing, tonight’s 6:30pm slot ensures the soap fits perfectly into Boxing Day evening entertainment, ahead of other prime-time programming.