ITV is to break with almost 50 years of broadcasting tradition by moving Coronation Street from its long-held Wednesday night timeslot.

Episodes of the iconic soap will no longer be screened midweek at 7.30pm, but shown at 8.30pm on Thursdays.

The change, part of ITV1's plans to make Thursday nights drama focused, ushers in a new era for Corrie, which has been broadcast on Wednesdays since its launch in 1960.

The new regime also means Thursday’s episode of Emmerdale will be screened as two half-hour shows, at 7pm and 8pm, instead of one, and the hour-long programme on Tuesdays will be reduced to a 30-minute instalment.

The Bill also faces a break with tradition. The police drama is to screen after the watershed for the first time in its 25-year history. ITV says the show, which will go to air at 9pm on Thursdays, will be tweaked to give viewers an edgier experience.

The new schedule takes effect on July 23, leaving ITV free to programme sport on Wednesday evenings.

An ITV spokesman said the changes will "reflect ITV's contracts for the Champions League, FA Cup and England internationals, which will see ITV1's live football broadcast on Wednesday evenings”.

"We're delighted that Thursday evenings on ITV1 will be a great showcase for soap from Weatherfield and the Woolpack".

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