There’s big news for Home and Away fans today, with Channel 5 announcing plans for the soap to leave its familiar daytime slot next year. The revelation comes just as the show’s annual Christmas break begins, but don’t worry: you’ll still be able to watch it every weekday.
When Home and Away returns to UK screens in January, it won’t be back in its familiar 1.45pm timeslot on 5. Instead, network bosses are doubling down on the soap’s new stream-first strategy, where episodes drop first for online viewers.
5 has said that the show is “moving exclusively to streaming for daytime viewing” – so fans who want to watch during the day will have to use the station’s streaming app and view it on demand.
Evening showings will continue to air on 5Star, with the newest episode at 6.30pm and another chance to watch the previous day’s edition just before at 6pm.
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The shift comes amid changing viewing habits, with Home and Away fans embracing the chance to watch early online.
Back in March this year, 5 started releasing new episodes at 6am every weekday ahead of any TV broadcast.
Since then, the show has seen consistent growth via this platform – viewing hours increased by 17% year-on-year in the first month.
“This momentum continued throughout the year with every month outperforming its counterpart from the previous year,” a statement from 5 explained.
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“Audiences have now become accustomed to accessing the title via streaming – the latest month delivered record-breaking engagement, with viewing hours climbing 23% year-on-year.”
Greg Barnett, Commissioning Editor at 5, added: “Home and Away has been a phenomenal success for us on streaming. Viewers have fully embraced the flexibility of on-demand viewing, driving double-digit year-on-year growth and making streaming the preferred way to watch the show.
“Moving daytime episodes exclusively to streaming is a natural next step, reflecting how audiences want to engage with their favourite content.”
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Home and Away finished for the year last week and will return from its Christmas break on Friday 2 January. The first episode will be available to stream from 6am and the evening double bill will follow on 5Star from 6pm.
Fans don’t need to worry about the show’s future, as it’s well-known that Channel 5 has the soap on a life-of-series deal – which guarantees an ongoing commitment. The network has also said that the new changes cement “the show’s place at the heart of 5’s streaming strategy after a year of record-breaking engagement”.