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Channel 4 has announced major changes to the schedule, with the most prominent news being the removal of Hollyoaks from the main channel. <\/p>\n
But fear not, there is absolutely no indication that the soap is being axed, or even in any trouble. <\/p>\n
With a demographic of young people, who are more likely to watch E4 and binge online, the focus of the show will be alongside that strategy.<\/p>\n
In 2023 64% of viewers have watched the soap via streaming or E4, resulting in 556 million minutes of the show being streamed in the first half of the year.<\/p>\n
As a result, Hollyoaks will continue to air as normal on E4, and episodes will now debut 24 hours earlier online, making that the main platform to go to if you want a very quick Hollyoaks fix. <\/p>\n
To clarify, this will be a 7:30pm first look online, followed by an E4 airing of 7pm. The weekend omnibus will still air on Channel 4, as well as episodes being uploaded to YouTube the following week for the first time.<\/p>\n
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Don\u2019t spoil it for your friends though, that won\u2019t make you popular. Actually, does that make us hypocrites? Maybe. <\/p>\n
The change will launch on the big stunt week on September 25, where Hollyoaks is going all out with action packed spectacle, and a visit to a mansion led by The Traitors star Maddy Smedley, who is playing Faye Fuller. <\/p>\n
Faye Fuller. Get it? <\/p>\n
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a webbrowser thatsupports HTML5video<\/p>\n
Across this week, tensions between Warren Fox (Jamie Lomas) and Felix Westwood (Richard Blackwood) will reach boiling point, leading to a massive showdown. <\/p>\n
Which can only mean that Warren\u2019s tryst with Mercedes McQueen (Jennifer Metcalfe) is about to be exposed. <\/p>\n
As a treat for fans, they will therefore be able to watch the build up episode followed by the hour long special online in a massive Hollyoaks-fest. <\/p>\n
Channel 4\u2019s Chief Content Officer, Ian Katz told Metro.co.uk: \u2018Hollyoaks has always been the youngest and most innovative soap so it\u2019s fitting that it should be the first to embrace the changes in the behaviour of younger viewers and switch to a genuinely digital-led release pattern. <\/p>\n
\u2018It was the first UK soap to move to a stream-first model last year and this is the next phase of that evolution. <\/p>\n
\u2018We hope making Hollyoaks available on YouTube, as well as our own platforms, will introduce a whole new generation to the show.\u2019<\/p>\n