International viewers will be able to watch at the same time as UK viewers.
The Big Picture
- Hollyoaks episodes will now be available on YouTube worldwide for free on the day of airing, as Channel 4 shifts to a digital-first approach.
- The show will reduce its weekly episode count from five to three starting in September, based on fan research showing most viewers watch three episodes.
- Hollyoaks, which first aired in 1995, explores current themes through the lives of characters in Chester, England, and has a large and ever-expanding cast.
If you’ve been playing catch-up with the gripping stories of Hollyoaks because you’re not in the UK, that is bound to change. Channel 4 will make episodes of the long-running soap available on YouTube everywhere in the world on the day of airing for free, Deadline reports. This move comes as the network shifts to a digital-first approach to match the current times when people wait to stream episodes after they’ve aired.
This news comes on the heels of another development where the weekly episode count will also be reduced from five to three from September this year. With increasing competition for audiences due to an influx of choice, the network’s research suggested that fans watch an average of three weekly episodes, and this move aims to adapt to that. 20 episodes are available for international YouTube viewers to watch before they catch up with UK viewers for the scheduled weekly releases. Sarah Little, Hollyoaks‘ producer Limelight’s boss, lauded this move, saying,
“
Hollyoaks
is always synonymous with digital firsts and I am delighted that the show’s global audience will now be able to find and watch episodes when they want on YouTube.”
What Is ‘Hollyoaks’ About?
Hollyoaks first aired in 1995 and was aimed at teenagers. It followed characters in the fictional Hollyoaks suburb in the city of Chester, Cheshire, England. The show explores current themes through the characters’ lives. It deals with various societal issues like relationships, religion, race, education, and sexuality. It has seen a roster of actors join and leave the show throughout the years, with Nick Pickard being the longest-serving cast member after being the only original cast member still on the show.
The drama is one of the UK’s most-watched soap operas and has seen several offshoots in various mediums. The show has been syndicated to other countries worldwide and aired in the US on Hulu. New episodes premiered on the platform two weeks after they aired in the UK. The show has since disappeared from the platform as streaming rights ran out. YouTube will be the new home for the show for the foreseeable future.
Hollyoaks features a large and ever-expanding cast. Current members include Kieron Richardson as Ste Hay, Oscar Curtis as Lucas Hay, Nathaniel Dass as Dillon Ray, Iz Hesketh as Kitty Draper, Alan Turkington as Declan Hawthorne, Jon-Paul Bell as Beau Ramsey, Tyler Conti as Abe Fielding, Dan Hough as Arlo Fielding, Louis Emerick as Donny Clark, Sherrie Hewson as Martha Blake, and Jeremy Sheffield as Jez Blake.
Despite all these changes, Hollyoaks‘ future has been secured with a multi-year deal to see the show continue to be produced.
This article was originally published on collider.com