Emmerdale and Coronation Street in huge ITV schedule shake-up this week

ITV have confirmed a schedule shake-up for popular soap operas Emmerdale and Coronation Street for later this week to make way Aston Villa and West Ham’s FA Cup clash

Emmerdale and Coronation Street viewers will be met with another ITV schedule shake-up this week. Due to Aston Villa and West Ham’s FA Cup clash on Friday (January 10) night, Emmerdale will air at the earlier time of 7pm and Corrie will air 9pm the night before on Thursday (January 9) instead.

Emmerdale’s synopsis for Friday’s episodes reads: “Negativity surfaces, boundaries are crossed and Rhona is at breaking point.”

The summary for the changed Coronation Street instalment reads: “Bobby visits Rob to persuade him to donate a kidney to Carla, Dev proposes to Bernie again and David continues to distrust Shona. Elsewhere, Abi accuses Toyah of abducting Alfie, and Evelyn bids farewell to friends as she departs for university.”

Corrie fans will see Rob Donovan (Marc Baylis) will make his highly-anticipated return this week. Carla Connor’s (Alison King) rebellious younger brother is currently serving a life sentence behind bars for murdering Tina McIntyre (Michelle Keegan) and will receive a visit from son Bobby Crawford (Jack Carroll).

Carla is devastated to hear that the damage to her kidney is severe and she’ll need a transplant. Ryan Connor (Ryan Prescott) and Bobby reel at the news. Ryan tells Carla that if he’s a match, he’d like to donate a kidney, but she won’t hear of it and wonders where Bobby has got to.

**Bobby Crawford goes to visit killer dad Rob Donovan in prison** (Image: ITV)

Bobby climbs out of a cab and heads in through the gates of Highfield Prison. Rob approaches Bobby in the prison visiting room. Rob is stunned to hear that Bobby has come to persuade him to donate a kidney to Carla. How will Rob react?

Corrie’s new executive producer Kate Brooks recently revealed: “We last left Rob languishing in prison. But he comes back to the show, and we think he might be a reformed character. We think he’s seen the error of his ways, whether that’s the case or not, I don’t know.”

Emmerdale and Coronation Street are both available to watch on ITVX