Coronation Street jumps ahead in primetime on TVNZ

• TVNZ 1 is jumping Coronation Street ahead in primetime to match the UK’s broadcast.

• Currently airing storylines will continue to be available every weekday on TVNZ 1.

• OnDemand streaming will be available for both viewing options (2018 primetime episodes and 2016 daytime episodes).

TVNZ has announced major changes to beloved icon Coronation Street on TVNZ 1, giving viewers more ways to watch their favourite programme.

Coronation Street is the UK’s biggest soap, and it’s an audience favourite in New Zealand as well. For years, New Zealand has lagged behind the UK’s broadcast, with episodes airing 18 months after their original transmission on TVNZ 1.

From June 11, viewers will be able to watch Coronation Street in sync with the UK, following a deal with ITV Studios Global Entertainment. Renamed 'Coronation Street 2018', TVNZ’s primetime episodes will air one week behind the UK on a Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evening at 9.30pm.

John Kelly, General Manager of Programming says, "Coronation Street has been a cornerstone of TVNZ 1’s schedule for decades. We’ve had a lot of feedback from viewers over the years, expressing their frustration with being so far behind the UK. We’re with them on this, which is why we’ve decided to take this huge step.”

Extensive consultation with TVNZ’s Coronation Street viewers was conducted via the TVNZ Greenroom Panel to inform this important decision. When surveyed, the viewers panel offered a clear direction going forward. Over three quarters of respondents said the delay was an issue for them. Over 80% said they were keen to skip ahead to the UK’s broadcast.

TVNZ 1 will mark the scheduling change with Coronation Street playing every evening for the week commencing June 11, before resuming its regular Wednesday through Friday timeslot. New Zealand fans will join the UK storyline as a serial killer stalks the cobbles – a dramatic narrative that’s keeping audiences captivated.

For viewers wanting to be brought up to date, a two-hour special produced by ITV Studios label, Shiver, will air on Sunday June 10, recapping key storylines across the 18 month lag. This special was created specifically for TVNZ to ensure viewers who would like to jump ahead get to see all the key moments before the new episodes start.

Kelly says “we’re excited about this change and while we know many fans are keen to make the move, we also wanted to give viewer’s a choice in how they watch their favourite show. With that in mind, we’ve created a second viewing stream in daytime for fans who want to stay with the storylines currently on air.”

John Whiston, Creative Director of Serial Dramas at ITV Studios, said: “We're really excited that our friends in New Zealand will now be seeing the same episodes of Coronation Street the same time as people in the UK. Watching Corrie is a shared experience - shared between families, shared between friends, shared between fans as they discuss who's in love with who, who's keeping secrets from who and who's planning to murder who! So it's brilliant that people in New Zealand with now be able to be a proper part of that fun conversation.”

The daytime programming option continuing with the 2016 episodes will be titled ‘Coronation Street Catch-up’. This stream will play weekdays at 1pm on TVNZ 1. Both programming streams,Coronation Street 2018 and Coronation Street Catch-up, will be available on TVNZ OnDemand for viewers who like to watch online.

Editor’s note:

Viewing options:

Coronation Street 2018

• Prime time on Wednesday Thursday and Friday for 1 hour.

• Episodes airing one week behind their UK broadcast

• OnDemand catch up available

Coronation Street catch up

• Day time episodes Monday - Friday for 1 hour

• Episodes continue the currently airing storyline

• OnDemand catch up available

ends

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