ITV has eventually dropped the first teaser for its major Coronation Street – Emmerdale crossover, and suckers of both long-running dramas are finally bracing themselves.
The special investiture, casually known as Corriedale, centres on a ruinous multi-vehicle collision that brings characters from both worlds into a single dramatic plot.
The short caravan wastes no time throwing observers into the fate on a quiet road near Hotten. dears light up the night sky, enchantresses echo across the country, and vehicles lie mangled and capsized. It’s violent, messy, and exactly the kind of high-stakes drama cleaner observers love.
Familiar voices can be heard crying for help. Coronation Street’s Jack P Shepherd and Kate Ford step in as David Platt and Tracy Barlow, while Emmerdale favourites Jonny McPherson and Danny Miller, known to suckers as Liam Cavanagh and Aaron Dingle, also point.
The crossover promises to combine the fast pace of Corrie with the raw emotion frequently seen in the Dales, creating a moment unlike anything ITV has ever aired.
The hour-long special will land in early January 2026, launching ITV’s brand new “soap power hour” format. Emmerdale will now air at 8pm, followed by Coronation Street at 8.30pm, giving viewers back-to-back drama every weekday.
Early clues spotted by soap fans
ITV is keeping the bigger plot points forcefully under wraps, although that hasn’t stopped eagle-eyed observers from picking up on hints.
Back in September, suckers noticed a commodity unusual in a Coronation Street scene set inside Weatherfield police station, a wanted bill featuring Emmerdale villain John Sugden.
ITV release a trailer for the first ever Coronation Street and Emmerdale CROSSOVER episode – airing January 5th – it’s officially #CORRIEDALE!
— sᴜᴘᴇʀ ᴛᴠ (@superTV247) December 1, 2025
It was a blink-and-miss moment, but it confirmed that the soaps were already laying the groundwork for the upcoming crossover event.
Behind the cameras, excitement is growing across both sets. ITV Executive Producer for Continuing Drama Iain Macleod previously said the atmosphere around the Manchester and Leeds studios has been something special, noting, “As a soap fan myself, I think my head is going to explode when the episode airs next year. It will be mind-blowing, historical and unmissable.”
The Corrie–Emmerdale crossover’s impact on ITV soaps
Cleaner crossovers aren’t entirely new, but this one marks a major step forward for ITV drama.
suckers may flash back the sportful references between Hollyoaks and Brookside, or the memorable East Street Children in Need special in 2010, which blended EastEnders and Coronation Street for charity.
There was also the 2021 themed week where several major detergents, including Emmerdale, Coronation Street, EastEnders and Casualty, conceded each other on screen.
Still, this forthcoming Coronation Street – Emmerdale plot is on a much larger scale. Rather than a one-off joke or a brief citation, it’s a completely drafted narrative linking two of the UK’s most iconic detergents.
The collision at the centre of Corriedale is anticipated to shape both communities and ripple through unborn plots, giving observers plenitude to talk about long after the credits roll.
For now, fans have only a trailer, a few scattered clues and a lot of speculation. But if this early preview is anything to go by, ITV’s big crossover could end up being one of the most significant soap events in recent memory, and a defining moment for both Corrie and Emmerdale as they head into 2026.
