ITV is facing significant internal turmoil and public criticism following its announcement in May of 220 job cuts, primarily affecting its beloved daytime television lineup, while its flagship reality show, I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!, continues with a lavish production budget.
Daytime TV Despair vs. Jungle Extravagance
The stark contrast between the two sides of ITV's operations was thrown into sharp relief recently. As popular hosts like Lorraine Kelly labelled the cuts 'heartbreaking' and Nadia Sawalha on Loose Women broke down in tears, calling the decision 'absolutely brutal' towards backstage staff, I'm A Celebrity hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly were making light of the situation from the Australian jungle.
During their unscripted after show for the programme's launch, the Geordie duo, known affectionately as Ant and Dec, joked about their mode of transport. When asked why they hadn't arrived by their usual helicopter, Ant, 49, quipped 'Cutbacks!' His co-host, Dec, 50, clarified it was actually due to rain, but laughingly added, 'First thing to go was our chopper! Cutbacks gone mad!'
This jest landed poorly back home, as reports confirmed that for the celebrities' entries alone, ITV hired more than 10 helicopters for over four hours across Thursday and Friday, underscoring the vast disparity in spending between the reality hit and the daytime departments.
The Human Cost of ITV's Restructure
The impact of the cuts on ITV's daytime schedule is profound and deeply felt by its presenting talent and production teams. Shows like Loose Women, Lorraine, and This Morning are bearing the brunt of the cost-cutting agenda.
Lorraine Kelly's show has been reduced from a one-hour format to just 30 minutes and will now broadcast for only 30 weeks per year, a change that also applies to Loose Women, shortening their annual schedule. Furthermore, production teams for This Morning, Lorraine, and Loose Women are being merged to share resources, leading to widespread anxiety about inevitable job losses.
The emotional toll on staff is clear. Presenter Kaye Adams admitted to having 'sleepless nights', while Kate Garraway said 'it's not fun' to witness such sweeping changes. Former Loose Women panellist Sherrie Hewson called the decision 'cruel', emphasising that the show acts as a 'lifeline' for many lonely viewers.
Financial Reality and Viewer Loyalty
ITV has framed these difficult changes as a necessary measure to save money and reinvest in other genres while protecting its most important programmes. The financial logic is evident in the success of I'm A Celebrity. The show, produced by ITV Studios, is a major revenue driver; ITV Studios generated a colossal £1.35 billion in revenue over the nine months leading to September this year.
The latest series launch attracted a cool 7.3 million viewers on Sunday night, with an average viewership of 6.6 million throughout its 90-minute runtime. More impressively, the show dominates among younger audiences, securing an 83% share of 16 to 34-year-old viewers, a demographic notoriously difficult to reach for traditional broadcasters in the age of streaming.
Despite the controversy and the internal anger from top talent like Lorraine Kelly, who was reportedly 'furious' and 'insulted' by the shake-up, the commercial imperative to protect a high-rating, profit-making show like I'm A Celebrity appears to be ITV's overriding priority, leaving its daytime stars and staff to weather the storm.
