The number of Emmerdale episodes to air each week has been reduced by ITV to keep the soap on air until "at least the early summer".

The broadcaster has already suspended filming on the Yorkshire-based soap and Coronation Street because of concerns over the coronavirus pandemic.

Emmerdale will now air three times a week - on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

The change, from next week, "to Emmerdale's transmission pattern will ensure we have episodes of both soaps airing on ITV until at least the early summer", ITV said.

A cut in the weekly number of Coronation Street episodes, to also screen on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, has already been announced.

Filming on Eastenders has been suspended and the soap will air twice a week so that it can be kept going 'for as long as possible.'

Soaps generally film six to eight weeks in advance. 

So the soaps should be on screens for another eight weeks, taking us to late May/early June - but we have no idea when production will be able to start again. 

Filming on Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks will also be paused and the number of weekly episodes will be reduced from five to three. These will be broadcast from Monday to Wednesday.

A statement from Lime Pictures, the maker of Hollyoaks, said the decision had been made with a "heavy heart".