Overview

• John Whiston, ITV's Managing Director of Continuing Drama and Head of ITV in the North, will retire at the end of May after 27 years with the company.
• Whiston oversaw the production of iconic soaps Coronation Street and Emmerdale, contributing over 40 years of experience to the television industry.
• Iain MacLeod and Matt Cleary have been named as Whiston's successors, taking on roles as Creative Director and Chief Operating Officer respectively.
• ITV is finalizing plans to increase its soap schedule to five episodes per week in January 2026, alongside a landmark crossover episode between Coronation Street and Emmerdale.
• Redundancy discussions involving approximately 75 roles out of 600 across the two soaps remain ongoing as ITV continues its workforce realignment.