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ITV Daytime Shake-Up: Lorraine Kelly’s Show Slashed, GMTV Legends Face Uncertain Future

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It’s been 16 years since ITV closed the chapter on GMTV, a popular morning program that many British people tuned into while having their breakfast and cereal.

Despite the fact that the main team continues to be active, there is a legitimate worry that the significant influence of the old guard will disappear entirely following ITV’s announcement of plans to reduce Lorraine Kelly’s morning show by half an hour.

The choice is influenced by Eamonn Holmes’ long-term struggle with persistent back issues, as well as Ben Shephard’s move to take on a fresh opportunity in hosting This Morning, having decided to leave breakfast television.

But where did it all go wrong for Britain’s best loved presenting team?   

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ITV CUTBACKS 

Hey there! As a diehard fan since her initial stint on Good Morning Britain back in ’84, I can’t help but marvel at Kelly, the seasoned network pro who now graces our screens every day on Lorraine. This show has been her domain for over 15 years, and it’s built around none other than the incredible Scottish presenter we all adore!

However, it appears that her future with the network may be uncertain due to cost-cutting measures implemented by ITV, particularly affecting their daytime programming.

ITV Daytime officials have revealed significant reductions this day, resulting in a cancellation of half a year for Lorraine and Loose Women, along with a reduction of 30 minutes from Lorraine’s usual airtime. This decision has also led to over 220 job losses within the company.

Kelly will experience the main impact as Good Morning Britain is assigned her 9-10 am time slot for approximately 22 weeks annually.

For the final 30 weeks of the year, Lorraine will be hosting the show every weekday, so Ranvir Singh and Christine Lampard won’t be required to fill in as stand-ins anymore.

Kelly, having recently gone through surgery and alternating responsibilities with a group of celebrity hosts, has yet to make any public statements regarding the significant modifications.

Her show has also been slashed in half, now running for just 30 minutes from 9:30am to 10am.

According to reports from ITV, they’ve chosen to reduce funds allocated for their daytime programming, instead opting to channel those resources into producing more dramas.

‘It’s important to cut costs, but we also want to ensure funds are properly allocated to suitable productions. With prices rising everywhere, it’s crucial to closely examine these matters.’

The source added: ‘Christine and Ranvir remain part of the ITV daytime family.’

This morning, with hosts like Alison Hammond, Ben Shephard, and Cat Deeley, continues unchanged.

Today, I learned that ITV Studios is stepping back from producing Good Morning Britain. Instead, ITN – the team behind ITV News – will now be responsible for its production. It’s an exciting change!

According to a source, there’s a real concern among employees that Lorraine might choose to leave if the program’s quality drops.

It’s challenging to envision a scenario where standards wouldn’t drop, and there’s uncertainty about whether Lorraine would wish to be connected or linked to such an instance.

‘Lorraine and her team are perfectionists – it’s why the show is loved by so many.’  

2024 saw Kelly hosting about six out of every ten episodes of her self-titled ITV show. Frequently, other hosts like Christine and Ranvir stepped in to fill the remaining episodes.

The significant lack of her presence sparked a social media trend, ‘Locate Lorraine Today’, that regularly posts about the daily host of the program.

Additionally, it provides ‘Bonus Lorraine’ updates whenever the presenter guest-stars on other programs when she’s not hosting her regular show.

As the year draws to a close, our account showcased my personal ‘Lorraine Recap’, highlighting that I’ve only hosted about 59.7% of this year’s shows, amounting to a total of 154 episodes out of 258.

In other words, I’ve been the host for approximately six out of every ten episodes this year.

Remarkably, Lorraine’s record for consecutive episodes hosted in 2024 only reached eight.

On X, a visual representation showed that Christine has taken over hosting duties for Lorraine the most frequently, appearing 52 times or about 20.2%, and Ranvir came in second with 49 instances, which equates to approximately 19%.

In two episodes, both Joel Dommett and Louise Minchin served as hosts (accounting for 0.8% of the total), while Andi Peters was in charge for a single episode (constituting 0.4%).

EAMONN’S HEALTH WOES 

Kelly’s previous ITV coworker, Eamonn Holmes, has ignited worry regarding his increasing health struggle, following an incident where he tumbled from his chair during a live broadcast.

In a surprising turn of events during his routine morning program on GB News, the seasoned producer, aged 65, unexpectedly lost balance and fell from his seat, with the live cameras capturing this incident as guest speaker Charlie Rowley was addressing the audience.

Holmes responded, “I’m good, good, good, keep going, keep going,” just as the broadcast switched to a commercial intermission.

The show picked back up with Holmes telling Ellie Costello that it was due to the unsteady wheels on the studio chairs that he took a tumble.

The event occurred mere weeks following his emergency transport to the hospital via an ambulance, which was prompted by a fall that happened at his residence in Weybridge on May 2nd.

He posted a picture on Instagram showing the interior of an ambulance, captioned: ‘Had an unforeseen adventure this morning… took a tumble in the bathroom. Goodness, it’s painful. Thanks to the dedicated ambulance team.’

In a subsequent update, he expressed: ‘I didn’t plan on spending The Holiday this way…but these days, life isn’t straightforward.’

Currently, TopMob outlines the prolonged struggle the presenter faced due to multiple health issues, commencing with persistent back problems approximately 40 years back.

Holmes now relies on a wheelchair, walking frame and crutches due to chronic back pain.

55 wasn’t too late for my beloved presenter to finally get that long-awaited hip replacement in 2016, but man, it seems like fate has thrown him one challenge after another ever since! He’s faced a series of unfortunate events, from a dislocated pelvis to no less than three slipped discs. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for his speedy recovery!

He has previously opened up about his ongoing health battle on social media.

Regardless of the brightness of the day, there’s still pain,” he wrote on Instagram. “At times, I struggle with overcoming this persistent discomfort in my body, but I remain resolute about living life to the fullest… So, if you can offer support, encouragement or just stay out of the way for the negative commenters on social media, that would be appreciated.

In 2016, Holmes had a two-part hip replacement operation, which took more than three hours, with the aim of relieving his long-term back discomfort.

The operation entails swapping out worn-out sections of the hip socket with components made from metal, plastic, or ceramics, primarily aimed at alleviating discomfort and improving mobility in the affected joint. This procedure is frequently employed for treating hip-related pain and stiffness.

In 2018, the host received another painful medical prognosis, potentially causing him to lose his sight, following intense stress from a tax dispute worth approximately £250,000.

Shingles arises from the varicella-zoster virus, a relative of the herpes virus that many individuals acquire during their childhood, which is also responsible for causing chickenpox.

If someone contracts the virus, it may lie inactive within their body. However, should their immune system momentarily weaken, this inactive virus could potentially become active again.

Speaking about his health issue, the TV personality shared with The Mirror, “It was like being led to my doom – it was the most distressing, embarrassing ordeal I’ve ever faced.

‘I found it quite unsettling to behold. It appeared as though it had undergone a brutal beating, similar to what might happen if a baseball bat were used on one’s face.’

Or more concisely:

‘It was disconcerting to view it; it seemed like someone had viciously attacked it with a baseball bat.’

Holmes’ chronic back pain started in spring 2021, which he said came out of nowhere.

He had such intense pain that he ended up needing a cane for support; only later did he discover what was causing his agonizing discomfort.

The television presenter experienced a problem with three herniated discs in his spine, limiting his mobility in the right leg.

He mentioned that he had hoped the problem would resolve itself, but it did not. As a consequence, he experienced significant loss of mobility in his right leg.

2022 saw Holmes undergo spinal surgery, following a period where his duties as a GB News presenter had required him to take some time off.

His battle with chronic back pain started after a dislocated pelvis led to three slipped discs.

After his operation, he disclosed that even with physical therapy, his limited mobility continues to prevent him from performing basic tasks, making it necessary for him to depend on others.

After undergoing spinal surgery, he found his left leg to be weaker. Less than three weeks post-operation, an unfortunate incident occurred: he tumbled backwards down 18 steps in his Weybridge residence, eventually landing on a hard stone floor.

The devastating accident, as he put it, nearly cost him his life. It resulted in a fractured shoulder for him, and his legs grew even weaker afterward.

A year post his spinal operation, Holmes opted for a spinal and cervical stretch therapy session in September 2023 due to his inability to walk.

He said that, following his spinal surgery, his condition had significantly.

‘I can’t run, I can’t walk, I can’t do anything except watch TV and eat’, he explained at the time.

RED MORNING, SHEPHARD’S WARNING 

In March 2024, Ben Shephard said goodbye to morning television shows as he was hired to handle the fallout following Philip Schofield’s sudden exit from “This Morning.

Back in the year 2000, I was honored to start my journey with ITV. Initially, I had the privilege of co-hosting the Entertainment Today segment on GMTV alongside Jenni Falconer. Over time, I stepped up to become the primary substitute host for GMTV Today.

After leaving his famous series, Sherlock Holmes took up the role of a permanent co-host on GMTV Today, appearing every Monday and Tuesday, as well as on some Wednesday mornings.

Following his shift to Good Morning Britain in 2014, Shephard recently decided to leave, preferring the later starting time and taking on a new position at This Morning.

The confirmation arrived through a unique promotion posted on This Morning’s Twitter account. The video clip showed the presenter strolling along the recognizable This Morning studio corridor, adding a fresh photo of co-host Cat Deeley to the wall, and then the camera captured him as the photograph sprang to life.

He expressed: “Being a part of the next phase of This Morning is truly a remarkable experience, not just for me, but also for Cat, as it seems exceptionally significant.

It’s a privilege to be given responsibility, so I’m delighted to work alongside Alison, Dermot, and the entire crew – both on-screen and behind the scenes – who consistently deliver exceptional work.

For the past decade, I’ve started my mornings alongside the ITV daytime viewers on Good Morning Britain. Now, I eagerly anticipate interacting with Cat…

Greeting our viewers warmly as they return from dropping off children at school or completing their daily routines, offering them a steaming cup of tea and a delightful blend of what has endeared This Morning to so many.

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2025-05-21 14:08

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