Lorraine Kelly signed off from her self-titled ITV show on Friday, July 3, telling viewers she would be off air 'for a wee while' and that she would 'really miss' everyone. 'That's all from us for now. I am away for a wee while,' she said. 'I'll really miss you, but I will see you very, very soon.'
ITV Cost-Cutting Measures
It was previously confirmed that both Lorraine and Loose Women would only air for 30 weeks of the year due to ITV cost-saving measures. Prior to this, both programmes aired all 52 weeks of the year. Both shows recently spent several weeks off air for the first time.
Lorraine's Disappointment
Lorraine previously expressed her upset over ITV's budget cuts, which led to members of her team losing their jobs. Appearing on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, she said: 'I was disappointed, of course I was. This is the world that we live in now. Things have to change, I mean, I've been through so many regime changes in my life. For me, this is just another one, but it's seismic. The thing that has upset me the most is the fact that we've got this great team, and obviously, that's not going to be in place next year because jobs will go. Hopefully I'll be able to hang on to some of these amazing people - that's my aim. It's very, very sad. It really is.'
ITV's Response
Kevin Lygo, the managing director of ITV’s Media and Entertainment Division, said the broadcaster was going through a 'transition'. He stated: 'I recognise that our plans will have an impact on staff off-screen in our Daytime production teams. We will work with ITV Studios and ITN as they manage these changes to produce the shows differently from next year, and support them through this transition. Daytime has been a core element of ITV’s schedule for over 40 years and these changes will set ITV up to continue to bring viewers award-winning news, views and discussion as we enter our eighth decade.'
Future of Lorraine Show
Lorraine did not reveal when her show will return, but it was reported earlier this month that she was set to sign a new contract with ITV. A source told DigitalSpy.com: 'Lorraine is a much-loved, popular face on ITV and a well-respected presenter and journalist. Other broadcasters recognise her natural brilliance at live presenting and have been trying for years to poach her away, but to no avail. She has always been loyal to ITV and their millions of viewers who have supported her throughout her career, and is set to stay with the ITV family and sign a new deal imminently.'
