ITV is implementing sweeping changes across its flagship daytime schedule, with the popular lunchtime chat show Loose Women set for a significant reduction in output for 2025. The broadcaster is consolidating operations in a major cost-cutting drive that will also impact Lorraine and This Morning.
Halved Output and a New Home
In one of the most dramatic shifts, Loose Women will air for just 30 weeks next year, a sharp drop from its traditional year-round schedule of 52 weeks. This means viewers will see roughly half the number of episodes compared to 2024.
Furthermore, all three programmes – Loose Women, This Morning, and Lorraine – are relocating in January 2025. Their new base will be a basement studio within a former private members' club located in London's Covent Garden. The move is part of a plan to have the shows produced by a single, unified team sharing resources.
Behind-the-Scenes Impact and Presenter Concerns
While ITV sources indicate there are no plans for "radical changes" to the well-known rotating panel featuring stars like Ruth Langsford, Charlene White, and Coleen Nolan, the cuts have deeply affected production staff. The decision to axe the live studio audience has led to the departure of warm-up performer Lee Peat.
Panellist Nadia Sawalha expressed her devastation on social media, stating the audience was "so important for the show" and paying tribute to her colleague Lee. Fellow presenter Coleen Nolan described redundancies among crew and backstage staff as "heartbreaking" and "devastating".
ITV's Stance and Strategic Reasoning
An ITV spokesperson emphasised the continued value placed on the Loose Women panellists, many of whom have been with the show for much of its 25-year run. They stated the programme remains "a big priority" within daytime, citing its recent BAFTA nomination, podcast launch, and anniversary celebrations.
Kevin Lygo, ITV's Managing Director of Media and Entertainment, outlined the rationale behind the changes earlier this year. He stated the scheduling and production shifts would generate savings to be reinvested across other genres while allowing ITV to expand its national, international, and regional news output. He stressed the importance of trusted journalism and delivering the debate and discussion viewers love.
The overhaul marks a pivotal moment for ITV's daytime television, aiming to secure its future in a challenging media landscape through consolidation and strategic budget reallocation.
