Why is Hollyoaks not on tonight? Scheduling changes revealed as old episodes air

3 April 2020, 17:30

Hollyoaks episodes have been cut. Picture: Channel 4

Why is Hollyoaks not on Channel 4 tonight? And when is the soap next on? Find out everything...

There’s been a lot of drama on Hollyoaks over the past few weeks with viewers watching the demise of evil Liam Donovan, as well as the love triangle between Liberty Savage, Sienna Blake and Brody Hudson.

But while the Channel 4 soap usually airs two episodes every single week night from Monday to Friday, including a first look instalment on E4, it isn’t airing tonight.

So just what’s going on, and why is there an old episode of Hollyoaks airing instead? Find out everything…

Hollyoaks is only on twice a week. Picture: Channel 4

Why is Hollyoaks not on tonight?

Just like all soaps on air right now, Hollyoaks has had to reduce its weekly episodes amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Filming on the soap was suspended in March, with the soap following in the footsteps of fellow soaps EastEnders, Coronation Street and Emmerdale.

Episodes were initially cut back to three a week, but this has now been reduced to two times a week - on a Monday and Tuesday - in order to keep the soap on air as long as possible.

Channel 4’s director of programming Ian Katz said in a statement: “The coronavirus outbreak is an enormous creative challenge for all broadcasters and though it is having a profound impact on getting some of our productions onto screen, when public service broadcasters like Channel 4 can step up and help people navigate through the extraordinary challenges we all now face.”