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In a bombshell move that’s sent shockwaves through TV land, ITV has dramatically slashed two of its flagship daytime shows, Lorraine and Loose Women, with major scheduling shake-ups and sweeping presenter changes announced.
Veteran presenter Lorraine Kelly is bearing the brunt of the cuts as ITV bosses revealed that Good Morning Britain will now absorb her 9-10am time slot for a staggering 22 weeks of the year. When Lorraine does return to screens, it will be for just 30 weeks, and with a shorter runtime of only 30 minutes.
The beloved morning chat show, which has been a staple of British TV for over a decade, has long been fronted by Kelly, who now faces an uncertain future on air. Friday editions of the programme, often hosted by Ranvir Singh and Christine Lampard, have been completely axed under the new plans, effectively sidelining the pair without warning.
Meanwhile, ITV's lunchtime stalwart Loose Women hasn’t escaped the chop either, with the network confirming that the panel show will be taken off air for the same 22-week stretch. This means fans will lose out on their daily dose of candid conversation, celebrity interviews, and often fiery debates from the likes of Ruth Langsford, Coleen Nolan, and Brenda Edwards.
An ITV insider told MailOnline: “There is a need to cost-save, but also so that the right money can go to the right shows. With everything getting more expensive, these things have to be looked at.”
The source added that ITV is refocusing its budget on producing more drama content, hinting that the financial squeeze on the broadcaster has forced difficult decisions behind the scenes.
Credit: ITV
Curiously, This Morning, which has undergone its own turbulent changes in recent years, remains untouched by the shake-up. The magazine show, currently fronted by Alison Hammond, Ben Shephard, and Cat Deeley, will continue as normal in its regular 10am-12.30pm slot.
The dramatic cuts have sparked an outpouring of reactions from loyal viewers, many of whom took to social media to express their dismay. One fan tweeted, “Axing Lorraine and Loose Women for half the year? What are ITV thinking?!”
Another added: “Why cut the shows people actually watch? Ridiculous!”
With ITV now investing more heavily in drama productions, it's clear the broadcaster is banking on scripted content to pull in ratings, but whether sidelining two of its most recognisable daytime brands will pay off remains to be seen.
