... correct me if I'm wrong but didn't ITV have an hour long Corrie from 7.30 - 8.30 that clashed with EE's very first Monday night EE at 8pm?

This was in the days long before hour long episodes and double-bills were common place.

Either this was an astonishing coincidence or ITV were being extremely petty.

Anyone else remember this?

I don't remember it happening on the Monday but I do recall them doing it on the first Friday episode about 10 years ago. I think Roy and Hayley ran away with a child they had fostered?

I don't remember this.

The first regular Friday EE in August 2001 clashed with Corrie and beat it in the ratings, it was after that the BBC and ITV agreed to keep the two soaps apart, although it was the only time they had clashed IIRC.

Yeah your right. The First Clash was a Friday in August 2001. EastEnders and Corrie have NEVER clashed on a Monday and have only clashed once since then (Nov 2009 and that was a Thursday)

I'm sure I remember this, and the storyline was about Sharon, Grant and some guy with a gun who was living with them. We had to tape it because Corrie was on for a hour. But my memory may be playing tricks.

Apparently the August 2001 clash was not done on purpose, it was done because Emmerdale had a hour long episode that night but I'm not sure I believe that personally.

I believe Emmerdale did air for one hour that night but I don't believe ITV had no alternative but to schedule Corrie against EE. It's too much of a coincidence that it happened on the night EE launched its fourth episode.