Devoted viewers of ITV's flagship morning schedule have been met with noticeable changes this week, with the most immediate being presenter Susanna Reid's appearance. The usually impeccably styled host returned after the Christmas break sporting a less voluminous blow-dry, a subtle sign of deeper financial turmoil at the broadcaster.
Behind the Glamour: Staff Cuts and Shared Resources
The reason for Susanna Reid's altered look is directly linked to severe ITV cutbacks that have led to over half of behind-the-scenes staff being made redundant. Insiders reveal she has lost her dedicated hairdresser and now receives less attention from a drastically reduced hair and makeup team. This squad, now just three people, must cater to all presenters and guests across Good Morning Britain (GMB), which now shares backstage resources with ITV News.
The hair issue is merely the tip of the iceberg. Last summer, ITV announced sweeping changes to its entire daytime slate—GMB, Lorraine, This Morning, and Loose Women—resulting in the loss of nearly 300 production staff. The changes officially took effect this week after a consultation period.
A Cramped New Home and On-Air Humiliations
The broadcaster has vacated its spacious White City studios for a significantly smaller, cheaper location at The Hospital Club in Covent Garden. This move has created a chaotic environment. Loose Women, This Morning, and Lorraine are now all crammed into basement studios, with limited dressing rooms causing friction among presenters.
Loose Women has lost its live audience due to space constraints and will now air for only 30 weeks a year instead of 52. Lorraine Kelly's programme has been similarly reduced to 30 weeks, with episodes halved from an hour to just 30 minutes. On Monday, adverts and promotions meant Lorraine was on screen for only 13 minutes and 20 seconds. Sources say Kelly feels "humiliated" by the bosses, though she is reportedly unpopular with some colleagues.
Sympathy, however, has been extended to Kate Garraway, a mainstay since 2000. Staff were shocked to see the 56-year-old, whose husband Derek Draper died in January 2024, effectively demoted to reading the ITV London regional news headlines during GMB, while Susanna Reid and Ed Balls hosted the main show. Friends called it a "humiliation," though other sources note she will host GMB's main Friday slot.
Quality Concerns and Viewer Backlash
Insiders fear the cuts will severely impact content quality. Budgets for booking high-profile guests have been slashed, with the days of paying thousands for exclusive interviews reportedly over. A long-time staffer warned, "You can’t make a quality live news show without the right resources."
Viewers have been quick to criticise the changes online, describing the new studio as "cramped," "echoey," and "claustrophobic." Others noted the stark contrast to GMB's pandemic-era heyday with Piers Morgan, when it challenged BBC Breakfast in the ratings.
Despite Susanna Reid sharing on Instagram that viewer numbers were up year-on-year, the long-term effects of ITV's austerity drive remain uncertain. The broadcaster insists the cuts were necessary for the shows' future sustainability, but the immediate reaction from both audience and staff suggests a rocky road ahead for Britain's beloved daytime lineup.
