Celia’s downfall, baby secrets, and a dramatic holiday in the Dales as ITV reshuffles festive episodes

Festive Shake-Up: When Is Emmerdale Airing?

ITV has officially revealed the 2025 Christmas broadcast schedule for Emmerdale, and viewers can expect major time changes as the festive season approaches. With holiday specials across the network taking over primetime slots, the soap’s usual 7:30pm weeknight routine is getting a temporary reshuffle.

But the biggest news? An extended hour-long Christmas Day episode is confirmed—and it promises major developments for several long-running storylines.

Here’s the full lineup for Emmerdale’s Christmas week:

• Monday, Dec 22: 7:30pm (30 mins)

• Tuesday, Dec 23: 7:00pm (30 mins)

• Christmas Eve: 6:55pm (30 mins)

• Christmas Day: 6:15pm (Hour-long special)

• Boxing Day: 6:30pm (30 mins)

As always, all episodes will be available for early streaming on ITVX from 7am the day of broadcast.

What to Expect This Christmas in the Dales

This year’s Emmerdale Christmas arc is packed with tension and emotional fallout—especially as the Celia Daniels slavery plot escalates. Bear Wolf remains trapped in Celia’s grip, with Dylan now caught between silence and survival.

Could the Christmas Day special mark the beginning of Celia’s downfall? Viewers have been hoping for justice, and teasers hint that her operation may finally unravel as the holiday drama unfolds.

Meanwhile, Charity Dingle is hiding a secret that could change everything—a pregnancy twist that has the potential to destroy more than one relationship. Will the truth come out under the mistletoe?

And for Kim Tate, this won’t be a merry Christmas. Following the injuries she sustains next week, Kim’s holiday is anything but restful. Is someone targeting her? Or will her legendary resilience kick in?

New Year, New Explosions

Once Christmas week wraps, Emmerdale returns to its normal rhythm—just in time to build toward the Corriedale crossover event in early 2026.

Here’s the New Year schedule:

• Monday, Dec 29: 7:30pm

• Tuesday, Dec 30: 7:30pm

• New Year’s Eve: 7:30pm

• New Year’s Day: 7:00pm (Hour-long episode)

• Friday, Jan 2: 7:30pm

With April’s trauma storyline still unfolding and new revelations expected around the Swain family, Emmerdale is heading into 2026 with no signs of slowing down.