Big news for Coronation Street fans: TVNZ to screen episodes a week after UK

Coronation Street fans in New Zealand will soon be able to watch the show only a week behind British viewers. Photo / File

Coronation Street fans rejoice. From next month New Zealand viewers will be able to watch episodes only a week after they screen in Britain.

For years, New Zealand has lagged behind Britain's broadcasts, with episodes airing 18 months after they hit screens in the popular television programme's country of origin.

But from June 11 viewers will be able to watch Coronation Street in much closer sync with fans on the other side of the world.

Renamed Coronation Street 2018, TVNZ's primetime episodes will air one week behind Britain on a Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evening at 9.30pm.

New Zealand fans will join the British storyline as a serial killer stalks the cobbles.

For viewers wanting to be brought up to date, a two-hour special produced by ITV Studios label Shiver will air on Sunday June 10, recapping key storylines across the 18-month lag.

This special was created specifically for TVNZ to ensure viewers who would like to jump ahead get to see all the key moments before the new episodes start.

For diehard fans who don't want to miss an episode, the current season will continue to be played every weekday at 1pm on TVNZ 1 and will be titled Coronation Street Catch-up.

TVNZ programming general manager John Kelly said they had received a lot of feedback from viewers over the years expressing their frustration with being so far behind the UK.

"We're with them on this, which is why we've decided to take this huge step," he said.

TVNZ 1 will mark the scheduling change with Coronation Street playing every evening for the week starting June 11, before resuming its regular Wednesday through Friday time slot.

John Whiston, creative director of serial dramas at ITV Studios, said he was thrilled New Zealand fans would be able to see episodes at the same time as British audiences.

"Watching Corrie is a shared experience - shared between families, shared between friends, shared between fans as they discuss who's in love with who, who's keeping secrets from who and who's planning to murder who! So it's brilliant that people in New Zealand with now be able to be a proper part of that fun conversation."

Both seasons will be available on demand for those wanting to catch up.