In an unprecedented television event, the worlds of Coronation Street and Emmerdale are set to collide in a dramatic special episode titled Corriedale. Airing on Monday, 5th January 2026 on ITV1 and ITVX, the crossover promises a devastating stunt that will leave characters from both soaps in grave peril, with lives hanging in the balance.
Behind-the-Scenes Clues Point to Carnage
Newly released behind-the-scenes images from filming have offered fans tantalising, and bloody, hints about the fallout. The pictures, shared with The Mirror and on social media, show several key characters sporting gruesome but fake injuries, raising the ominous question: who dies in Corriedale?
From the Emmerdale contingent, Debbie and Carl Webster are seen bloodied and hurt. Over in Weatherfield, Carla Connor, played by Alison King, is marked with pretend wounds. Other characters visibly injured in the snaps include Aaron Dingle (Danny Miller), Todd Grimshaw, and Theo Silverton. Shona and David Platt are also among the walking wounded.
A Cast Teasing 'Chaos' and 'Forever Changed' Lives
The actors involved have been vocal about the episode's seismic impact. James Cartwright, who plays Corrie's Theo Silverton, described receiving the scripts as a revelation. "There's moments that will have real far-reaching consequences," he said. "It will change soap land forever. Soap land will never be the same again because of it." He likened the event to a meteor hitting Earth.
Sally Carman-Duttine (Abi Franklin) warned viewers to expect the unexpected, promising an engaging and interesting episode that will require popcorn. She confirmed the frantic energy of a night shoot and the potential for lives to be "forever changed".
Emmerdale's Jacob Roberts (Kit Green) summed up the episode's pace as "chaotic", stating: "You might be invested in one thing and then something completely different or chaotic happens. You haven't got time to invest, it's one thing after the other."
The Mystery of the Missing Characters
Perhaps the biggest clue lies in who is not pictured in the behind-the-scenes photos. Several characters confirmed for the special episode are absent, which could be a deliberate tease about their ultimate fate. Spoiler images have also hinted at other characters in danger, including Corrie's Lisa, Becky, and Betsy, and Emmerdale's Mack, Joe, and Charity.
With a stunt of this magnitude, the fallout is guaranteed to reshape both soaps. As the stars have warned, fans should prepare for a chaotic, shocking, and emotionally charged hour where not everyone will make it out alive. The only way to discover the full truth is to tune in on Monday night.
Coronation Street airs weeknights at 8:30pm and Emmerdale at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
