The British Soap Awards have been permanently cancelled and will not return, according to reports. The programme, a staple of the British awards season since 1999, was shelved for 2026 and has now been axed indefinitely as part of ITV's sweeping budget reductions.
Awards Ceremony History and Recent Hiatus
The awards honoured the finest moments from UK soap operas including EastEnders, Coronation Street and Emmerdale. The last broadcast was in 2025, hosted by Jane McDonald, following a year-long hiatus. That ceremony drew 1.5 million viewers. The 2026 event had already been postponed.
Insider Confirms Permanent Cancellation
An insider told The Sun: "Sadly, the soap awards have had their day and won't be returning. It's a real shame but they no longer pull in the advertising or sponsorship money anymore. It won't be back. It's dead in the water." They added that competing programmes such as the BAFTA TV Awards or National Television Awards already feature soap categories, meaning "they don't need their own event anymore," as reported by the Mirror.
ITV's Response and Financial Pressures
An ITV spokesperson told The Sun that "no decision has yet been made." The Daily Star has contacted ITV for further comment. The broadcaster faces budget constraints that have already led to daytime TV changes: Lorraine was cut from an hour to 30 minutes, and Loose Women now broadcasts for 30 weeks annually instead of 52.
Kevin Lygo, Managing Director of ITV's Media and Entertainment Division, explained: "Daytime is a really important part of what we do, and these scheduling and production changes will enable us to continue to deliver a schedule providing viewers with the news, debate and discussion they love from the presenters they know and trust as well generating savings which will allow us to reinvest across the programme budget in other genres."
