Home and Away will no longer be airing new episodes on Channel 5.

The Australian soap has been broadcasted on the channel at 1:45pm for years, but won’t return to the usual slot after Christmas.

This is because new episodes of Home and Away will begin dropping online from January 2. Each instalment will be available to stream from 6am, and then the evening double bill will follow at 6pm on 5Star.

A statement released by Channel 5 said that Home and Away will test out a new strategy that will allow fans to watch the episodes via streaming first.

The channel has said the soap is ‘moving exclusively to streaming for daytime viewing’. If you wish to watch the show during the day, you’ll have to use 5’s streaming platform.

The previous day’s episode will air on 5Star at 6pm, and then the latest ep will follow at 6:30.

‘Home and Away has been a phenomenal success for us on streaming’, Greg Barnett, Commissioning Editor at 5 said.

‘Viewers have fully embraced the flexibility of on-demand viewing, driving double-digit year-on-year growth and making streaming the preferred way to watch the show.

‘Moving daytime episodes exclusively to streaming is a natural next step, reflecting how audiences want to engage with their favourite content.’

Home and Away has been airing since 1988.

Earlier this year, the residents of Summer Bay said goodbye to iconic face Irene Roberts (Lynne McGranger).