Significant cost-cutting measures at ITV have plunged its flagship daytime TV shows into chaos, sparking backstage "meltdowns" and fuelling speculation that one of its biggest stars may walk away.
Chaos in the Basement: The New Reality for Daytime Shows
Following a major overhaul announced last year, which included hundreds of job losses, ITV has now fully implemented its drastic changes. The broadcaster has moved shows including Good Morning Britain, Lorraine, This Morning, and Loose Women from their former West London studios to a significantly smaller facility in Covent Garden.
According to a report in the Daily Mail, the new setup is "incredibly chaotic behind the scenes," with sets for multiple shows crammed into a basement. The space constraints are so severe that Loose Women has been forced to axe its live studio audience entirely due to a lack of room.
An insider revealed the difficult conditions, stating: "Backstage the dressing rooms are limited. There just isn't enough space, especially when there are four women getting ready to be in front of the camera at the same time. It's not an ideal situation at all. There have been some meltdowns."
Viewer Backlash and Star Exit Rumours
The loss of the Loose Women audience has not gone unnoticed by loyal viewers. One fan commented on X, formerly Twitter: "The audience makes a huge contribution to the atmosphere of the show. Bring them back." Another added: "With no audience, conversation is just falling flat, feels cold and hard to engage with."
Further schedule alterations have seen Lorraine reduced to broadcasting for just 30 minutes a day, and for only 30 weeks of the year instead of 52. This has led to intense speculation about the future of its long-standing host, Lorraine Kelly, who has fronted the programme since 2010. A source told the paper: "You can see Lorraine walking away at some point too." Kelly has not announced any departure plans, and was approached for comment by The Independent.
Shared Resources and Slimmed-Down Teams
The budget cuts have extended deep into production teams. The hair and make-up departments have been heavily impacted, with Good Morning Britain host Susanna Reid reportedly losing her personal hairdresser. A source explained: "There is now a team of just three hair and make-up people for GMB, who have to cater for every single guest and presenter."
The reshuffle has also led to a merging of resources between GMB and ITV News, with presenters like Kate Garraway and Charlotte Hawkins now taking on additional newsreading duties. Despite the upheaval, Susanna Reid put a positive spin on the changes in an Instagram post last week, highlighting that GMB's viewing figures had improved year-on-year since the move.
ITV has been contacted for comment regarding the reported backstage turmoil and the concerns over its star presenters' futures.
