Which Soap Will Be Axed Next Odds: Emmerdale Into Favourite For Dales Demise

Soap fans appear to be growing increasingly concerned about one of the big three - Coronation Street, EastEnders and Emmerdale - hitting the cutting room floor for good. 

Fans of Corrie and Emmerdale were left wondering what is next for their beloved shows earlier this year when ITV announced plans to slash its soap scheduling - with both programmes set to lose one episode a week by 2026.

And now, the two shows have shortened up on the best betting sites to be the first of the big three axed after some more claims. 

It follows news that Neighbours recently announced it has been axed for a second time, and last year Doctors aired its last-ever episode.

According to The Guardian newspaper, ITV's pre-tax profits fell by 44 per cent in the first six months of the year. 

The Sun on Sunday has since claimed that as many as one in 10 cast members could be axed from Emmerdale and Corrie, and that the number of scenes per episode could also be slashed. 

Which Soap Will Be Axed First Odds

A soap source told the publication: "They’re looking to save millions and Corrie and Emmerdale are the obvious places. They’re very expensive shows."

Despite this, ITV have said of the proposals: "This is complete speculation."

However, like everything, soaps are unlikely to last forever, but which of the big three will be washed away first? 

Dales Demise? 

In May, ITV announced cuts to some of its daytime shows. 

Lorraine and Loose Women were the most affected, and from January both programmes will now only air for 30 weeks of the year. 

Following these huge changes, it was reported that the channel's soaps could be the next to be victim of even more cuts. 

A TV insider told The Sun at the time: "After the Daytime announcement, the big feeling within the soap departments at ITV is the cost-cutting focus will shift to them.

"There’s been some seismic changes already over the past year in regards to penny pinching and many believe that’s just the start.

"Given the big audience figures and institutional history within ITV, soaps used to have an untouchable feel about them.

"But that’s changed significantly and they now feel more vulnerable than ever."

It was recently revealed Emmerdale and Corrie will move to a new scheduling pattern in January, which will see a "soaps power hour" take place from Monday to Friday.

It means Emmerdale will air for 30 minutes at 8pm, while Corrie will air half an hour episodes at 8.30pm. 

To celebrate the change, ITV announced a one-off soaps crossover episode between Corrie and Emmerdale.

However, the biggest soap sceptics believe this might even be the start of a potential merger between the two shows. 

If not, and one of the pair has to go, then Emmerdale looks to be the most likely at 10/11 favourite on betting apps, from 5/4.

Corrie On For Now 

Coronation Street - which is into 6/4, from 2/1, to be the first of the big three serial dramas axed - has been on our screens for 12 years more than its Yorkshire Dales-based sibling.

As a result, it would be a huge shock if Corrie was axed ahead of Emmerdale, which films in a studio and then on location at the fictional Emmerdale village. 

Whereas, Corrie's studios and fictional Weatherfield are all in the same location. 

Some soap super-fans aired concerns earlier this year that Emmerdale might be dropped to save Corrie, with one even saying the Yorkshire drama - which was called Emmerdale Farm when it first started in 1972 - could be a "sacrificial lamb".

Another social media user wrote: "If it came down to it, ITV would sacrifice Emmerdale to save Corrie."

One posted: "It feels that ITV itself is linked into Coronation Street in a way, if Corrie goes then I'm not surprised what ITV looks like in the future."

Despite this, Corrie has seen a mass exodus of top stars in recent months. 

Sue Cleaver, Colson Smith, Charlotte Jordan and Shelley King have all departed, and Daniel Brocklebank recently announced he is set to wave goodbye to Weatherfield, too. 

Outsider EastEnders 

While ITV are gearing up for soap schedule changes from January, they are also thinking of other ways fans can tune into their shows - which could help to give them an extended lease of life.

Social media pages connected to Corrie and Emmerdale announced in late June: "Soap fans, rejoice! Starting tomorrow, full episodes will be available on YouTube from 7am - the same day they air on TV!"

If this helps Corrie and Emmerdale to stick around for longer, then perhaps EastEnders could be the first of the big three to be shelved.

Some EastEnders viewers thought the show was even hinting at its own demise earlier this year when character Martin Fowler - who was the first baby born in Walford, in July 1985, just five months after the BBC soap began - was killed off as part of the show's 40th anniversary episodes. 

Some now believe this could be a symbolic hint that EastEnders' days are numbered. 

However, following the latest Corrie and Emmerdale speculation, EastEnders is out to 2/1, from Evens, to be the first of the trio to slip away. 

Hopefully all three soaps have plenty of life left in them for now. 

* Reminder: These are hypothetical odds provided by industry experts.