ITV’s Daytime Drama: Lorraine’s Reign Ends Amid Shocking Cuts and Rising Tensions!

Among the juniors at ITV, there’s a well-known humor that Lorraine Kelly appears to spend more time ceremonially cutting ribbons than actually hosting the morning show called “Lorraine,” which was named after her.

It’s quite plausible that they are correct. For instance, back in March, she launched a fresh Bonmarché clothes shop branch at the Eden Centre in High Wycombe. And just last July, she revealed a new studio for Marlow FM, located in Buckinghamshire.

In 2024, she only hosted less than 60% of the Lorraine shows, with Christine Lampard and Ranvir Singh stepping in instead. This appearance looked unfavorable or unflattering.

Her periods of absence didn’t escape the notice of her superiors, and they began to develop a growing disapproval towards the woman who was previously regarded as ITV’s leading female broadcaster.

At the same time, everyone appreciates the exceptional professionalism demonstrated by Susanna Reid on Good Morning Britain. As a dedicated host, she consistently delivers her show each week. (Age: 54)

Yesterday, the heads at ITV showed their preferences by dramatically reducing Lorraine’s weekly show from five days to just 30 weeks out of a possible 52.

Not only did it worsen the situation, but it also significantly reduced the duration from an hour to just 30 minutes. This additional time will be allocated to Susanna’s Good Morning Britain segment, implying that her show will air from 6 am to 9:30 am when Lorraine is on air, and from 6 am to 10 am when she isn’t.

According to a source within ITV, Susanna is highly regarded, with the management deeply admiring her. They’ve been eager to provide her with greater responsibilities, while simultaneously, Lorraine seemed to be noticeably absent.

The television series bearing her name, running for 15 years, turned out to be more trouble than it was beneficial due to the constant need to arrange coverage for her.

Fortunately, Christine and Ranvir enthusiastically participate in this task and can usually be reached quickly when needed. Interestingly, if Christine were to assume the role permanently, it might resolve the issue; however, she’s not interested. As a result, Lorraine found herself in an unflattering predicament due to the circumstances.

‘She’s the matriarch of ITV, or at least she once saw herself as such. She had a firm grip on that program, her word being law, but lately she seems to have stepped away from it.’

There’s uncertainty about a potential reduction in her pay, but someone with inside knowledge believes it’s not likely her salary will stay the same.

Lorraine, aged 65, isn’t the only one affected by the cuts made by high-ranking officials. Similarly, Loose Women, a well-established talk show that marked its 25th anniversary last year, has suffered reductions. Instead of airing every week, it will now be broadcast for 30 weeks per year. However, there’s some positive news: the duration of each episode remains at 60 minutes.

It’s important to note that ITV has emphasized that the recent modifications in their programming have no connection to the quality of either show. However, both Lorraine and Loose Women are receiving increasing criticism. For a long time, Lorraine has been perceived as the less popular sibling in the ITV daytime lineup, while Loose Women is occasionally labeled as the problematic relative of the channel due to the frequent scandals triggered by the assertive panelists on the show.

In my professional opinion, I’ve noticed a recurring issue between them – no matter what they claim otherwise. It can be quite exhausting for those in leadership positions, as they are mature adults who should be able to handle their differences effectively.

Lorraine’s ratings are declining as well, and neither program is generating the financial returns that ITV anticipates and requires. Given the current climate where producing television is more costly than ever before, this is particularly concerning.

As a committed follower, I’d like to share that the heads at ITV made it clear on yesterday’s discussion that the funds spared from cost-cutting measures will be channeled towards enhancing the quality of productions in various sectors, particularly within our drama department.

Morning television program, airing between 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., featuring hosts like Alison Hammond, Ben Shephard, Cat Deeley, and Dermot O’Leary, has not undergone any changes.

Apparently, confidants share with me that although the commotion around Philip Schofield and Holly Willoughby leaving has caused quite a stir, it remains highly valued by ITV and continues to be viewed as a ‘triumphant tale’.

Additionally, it’s been revealed that ITV Studios will cease production of Good Morning Britain. Instead, ITN, known for ITV News, will now handle its production.

The studio will relocate from the White City studios of the broadcaster, over to Gray’s Inn Road in central London – a location where news bulletins are typically produced. In this new setup, a single team will handle both ITV News and Good Morning Britain (GMB) operations.

It’s been quite surprising for many that GMB, known for its ‘magazine-style’ broadcasting, is merging with ITV News.

It’s thought that the driving force behind recent changes in ITV news and current affairs is Andrew Dagnell, who recently took over as director following his promotion from editor of ITV News. He began this role at the start of the year, succeeding long-time incumbent Michael Jermey. Previously, Dagnell worked in journalism for the News Of The World and Sunday Mirror, and also served as a producer on Good Morning Britain. According to sources, he has been instrumental in recognizing the potential advantages of merging various shows.

Certain members of the Good Morning Britain team are optimistic that Dagnell might decide to remove Ed Balls, the ex-Labour MP and spouse of Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, from the show where he frequently appears alongside Susanna Reid.

Many believe that due to his political ties, he may not deliver unbiased news reporting that can be trusted.

In this new setup, there’s a possibility that ITV News anchors could have a chance to co-host Good Morning Britain with Susanna. This decision was shared during an urgent gathering of about 500 staff, led by ITV’s daytime managing editor Emma Gormley, at the TC1 studio where Saturday Night Takeaway and Graham Norton Show on BBC1 are usually filmed.

On a Monday afternoon, the initial gathering was brought to light for those working on GMB, This Morning, Loose Women, and related projects, when an email from Gormley arrived in their inboxes. She made it clear that everyone should be present physically, as she preferred not to rely on Zoom – likely due to concerns about potential recording and dissemination of the meeting content.

It appears that the presentation of the ‘new style’ timetable by Gormley and her top team was perceived as completely disorganized. They declined to answer questions from worried employees, instead requiring them to come back today for another Q&A session since they were not adequately prepared with information.

From my perspective as a lifestyle advisor, I must admit that the announcement felt hastily put together, giving off an impression of a last-minute effort. It’s quite evident that they weren’t fully prepared for its release, but information about the changes has already begun to leak. Regrettably, it seems this decision will result in significant downsizing, which I can only describe as a challenging period ahead.

A single team will manage the remaining segments of Lorraine, Loose Women, and This Morning. Currently, the staff is quite extensive, with individuals dedicated solely to fitting guests with headphones. However, changes are coming that will significantly reduce redundancies in this area.

It was disappointing not to have the opportunity to ask questions at the end, as it’s evident that what lies ahead will likely be quite challenging. People are hesitant to speak up due to fears of saying something out of place or making a mistake. This unease stretches from the lowest ranks all the way to the highest echelons. Everyone seems to share the same concern.

‘A great deal of unease and anxiety prevails. For a considerable period, ITV was perceived as a secure workplace, but currently, it’s rare to find someone who won’t be impacted by the impending reductions.’

According to my sources within the network, it’s expected that around 220 employees will be let go by the end of this year. This downsizing is set to occur as they prepare for a grand unveiling of a fresh schedule.

Yesterday, ITV took significant steps to clarify that none of its top celebrities will be dismissed, a statement that may further fuel discontent among the off-screen personnel who are at risk. To add to the tension, just before an email was distributed to all staff on Monday evening, ITV executives revised their layoff policies within the internal systems, a move that left employees concerned.

Comment now

It’s being suggested that the origins of current issues can be traced back to past events. Some speculate that the cancellation of The Jeremy Kyle Show in 2019, which was usually its most popular program, has had lasting effects on its daytime schedule, as it never fully recovered from this change. This unfortunate incident involving Steve Dymond contributed to this decline.

More recently, the network’s reputation took another hit when popular host Phil Schofield of This Morning left following allegations that he had been involved in an extramarital relationship with a male coworker, who originally started as an intern on the show.

The host initially denied the affair but later admitted it in a mea culpa to this newspaper.

One source stated, ‘Had the leaders managed those situations more effectively, they likely wouldn’t find themselves in the predicament they’re currently in, and there would be fewer individuals fretting about their employment status.’

‘But as always in these situations, the chiefs are always OK.’

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2025-05-21 04:46