Lorraine Kelly has announced she is taking a break from her ITV show, with the programme going off air for a period. The 66-year-old presenter confirmed the news live on Friday (July 3), telling viewers: "That's all from us for now. I am away for a wee while. I'll really miss you, but I will see you very, very soon."
During the episode, Kelly interviewed Atomic Kitten star Natasha Hamilton and discussed Taylor Swift's wedding with entertainment reporter Ross King. As the credits rolled, she added: "Have a great weekend!" It has not yet been confirmed when the show will return, according to the Daily Record.
The break follows significant changes to ITV's daytime schedule. Last year, Lorraine was cut from an hour to 30 minutes as part of ITV cutbacks, with Good Morning Britain (GMB) extended by half an hour to fill the gap. The programme now broadcasts for only 30 weeks out of 52, down from nearly the entire year previously. Loose Women has also been reduced to 30 weeks annually.
Kevin Lygo, managing director of ITV's Media and Entertainment Division, described the broadcaster as being in a "transition". He said: "I recognise that our plans will have an impact on staff on-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."
During Lorraine's hiatus, GMB will be extended by 30 minutes each weekday until This Morning begins at 10am. This follows Susanna Reid's recent absence from GMB, which she attributed to a "special project" after Sir Keir Starmer's resignation. Reid is expected to return to the studio on Monday, July 6.
