Viewers faced disruption ahead of the British Soap Awards
ITV faced disruption in the middle of the primetime TV schedule on Thursday (June 5) evening. Viewers were met with a blank screen ahead of the British Soap Awards 2025 which was due to be broadcast on ITV1 from 8pm.
Before the show started, the advertisement froze and a black screen showed up on TV screens. It included a message which said: “We’re sorry for the disruption.”
Viewers fumed as the technical malfunction caused disruption for almost eight minutes. Taking to X, formally known as Twitter, one viewer said: “How much longer must I sit and watch your ‘Sorry for the disruptions’ screen? Please do better.”
More added to the conversation on X: “Oh dear! #ITV down”, “Oh ITV don’t do this right now…” and “It’s been 7 minutes sort it out man.” Another asked: “What has happened to ITV tonight ???”
After a long wait, a video appeared on screen of Charlene White for ITV news. The news anchor featured in a sketch as she pretended to be too distracted to read the news because she was watching the soaps.
Viewers were pleased to see that the introduction to the British Soap Awards had finally arrived almost ten minutes late. The star-studded event, hosted by Jane McDonald at London’s Hackney Empire, featured prominent television personalities such as Sir David Jason and Larry Lamb presenting awards. The awards made a triumphant return after last year’s cancellation.
The ceremony has celebrated our nation’s favourite soaps since the first edition in 1999. The event became synonymous with Phillip Schofield, who hosted the awards from 2006 – 2022.
The 2025 awards celebrate a mammoth year for the soaps, as the evening will look back on twelve months of murder, mystery, trials and tears.
Viewers have watched Gail Platt depart the cobbles after 50 years in Coronation Street, while EastEnders celebrated its 40th anniversary on air. Hollyoaks leapt a year into the future and Emmerdale faced a dramatic limousine crash into a frozen lake.
Coronation Street, EastEnders, Hollyoaks and Emmerdale battled it out to win recognition for their work over the past year. Some of the biggest faces from all four soaps arrived on the red carpet for one of the most glamorous events in the soap calendar.
