The soap will move from five weekly instalments to three from September 2024.
Hollyoaks will have fewer episodes each week, Channel 4 has announced.
The soap, airing on streaming, E4 and YouTube, will move from five weekly instalments to three from September of this year.
The channel explained the decision saying this is the “optimum pattern to keep heartland audiences hooked and attract new ones in a highly saturated content market” based on Channel 4 data.
Most regular soap viewers watch an average of three episodes per week, according to its research.
Your #HollyoaksNewYearTrailer is here, and the ride has only just begun… 😱 #Hollyoaks pic.twitter.com/VblPNC4u1O
— Hollyoaks (@Hollyoaks) January 2, 2024
Chief content officer at Channel 4 Ian Katz, said: “Hollyoaks is on sparkling creative form at the moment and these changes will ensure it remains compulsive viewing for a new generation of fans as viewing habits change.
“The show has always been at the forefront of innovation in all of its forms, including increasing and decreasing episode numbers in response to viewing habits. These changes are a decisive step forward, designed to reflect how audiences are watching.
“A tighter schedule promises a new era of more scale and impact. We are of course mindful of the impacts on the production team and will work closely with (production company) Lime Pictures to minimise these where possible.”
An hour-long weekly omnibus episode will be broadcast on Channel 4 and available to stream.
The broadcaster previously announced that it would take a streaming-first approach with the soap and will put episodes of Hollyoaks on YouTube a week after they are broadcast on E4 and streamed on its own platform.
