Du will no longer offer ITV Choice in the region from August 20

If you're a fan of British soaps and television shows, this might come as a shock

'Coronation Street', Britain's longest running soap opera, will no longer be offered when ITV Choice ceases operations in the UAE on August 20. 

If you're a fan of Coronation Street, The Chase, or Doc Martin, you might have to find a new British television show to watch – as ITV Choice will no longer be available in the UAE from August 20.

Du announced the change in an email to its customers, saying: "Starting from 20 August, the content provider will no longer offer ITV Choice (227) in the region. The channel will automatically be removed from your package. Sorry for the inconvenience."

ITV Choice is popular with British residents of the UAE, with its offering of UK programming produced by ITV Studios and other independent production companies. Among its offerings are Brit favourites such as Emmerdale, Coronation Street, I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, The Jonathan Ross Show, Doc Martin, The Chase and Tipping Point.

The channel is available in parts of the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Malta. However, according to its Facebook page, it seems that the Maltese were handed a similar notice at the end of July from their service provider, as outraged residents vented their displeasure at no longer having access to the channel from the same date, August 20.

The decision has also drawn criticism from residents in the UAE, with du  subscribers describing their unhappiness on social media.

Neil Tyrer said on Twitter that it was "totally unacceptable", and ITV Choice was one of only a couple of channels he watched on television.

It's unclear whether the decision to cease its operations in the region was an ITV decision or one made by du. The National has asked du for comment.