Hollyoaks cut from Channel 4 schedule after 28 years in huge permanent shake-up

The Channel 4 soap, which first began in 1995, will be moving permanently over to E4, with episodes also being uploaded to YouTube to suit their younger demographic, bosses have confirmed

Channel 4 has announced that Hollyoaks will no longer be airing Hollyoaks episodes for the first time in 28 years.

The soap, which first began in 1995, will be moving permanently over to E4, with episodes also being uploaded to YouTube to suit their younger demographic, bosses have confirmed.

Since 2005, first look episodes of Hollyoaks have aired on E4 straight after the Channel 4 episodes. However, bosses have decided to switch up the main channel’s content with new shows, meaning that it will be the first time in three nearly decades that the soap will no longer air on C4. It comes after bosses first began streaming the soap on its All4 platform and with the news that episodes will also be uploaded onto YouTube, it signals a clear digital strategy for Hollyoaks. Instead, the C4 soap will offer a first look online, with E4 airing an episode half an hour later.

The new changes are due to come into effect on September 25 for its big stunt week, which will involve The Traitors’ Maddy Smedley (Faye Fuller).