Lorraine Kelly says she ‘worried about existing’ after being sacked from GMTV while on maternity leave and reveals she lived ‘contract to contract’

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Lorraine Kelly has revealed she struggled with anxiety and self-doubt after being let go from her well-known position at GMTV while she was on maternity leave.

Kelly was one of the hosts on a daily breakfast television show. She then took time off to raise her daughter, Rosie, born in June 1992 to her and her husband, Steve Smith. Rosie is Kelly’s only child.

The 66-year-old presenter was shocked to learn she was being replaced on the show, just over a week before she was set to come back.

Kelly explained on Pete Wicks’ podcast that being a freelancer made it financially difficult when she first became a mother.

I work as a freelancer, essentially a ‘taxi for hire,’ and I appreciate everything because I don’t take anything for granted.

Having my daughter was a difficult period. Immediately after giving birth, things were chaotic, and then I lost my job – or rather, my contract wasn’t renewed, which felt the same. It was a really tough time because it felt like everything was being taken away, and I didn’t know what I was going to do.

Oh my gosh, you won’t BELIEVE this! It turns out Kelly’s husband, the one who films everything for her, he’s a freelancer too! Can you imagine? Both of them hustling, taking whatever work they can get… it was so tough for them, they were constantly worried about making their mortgage payments. It just breaks my heart thinking about it!

I mostly worked job to job,” she remembered. “Sometimes a contract would last a year, and if you were fortunate, maybe two.

Oh man, if someone had just warned me forty years ago that I’d still be at it, I wouldn’t have been such a wreck every time my contract came up for renewal! Seriously, it was awful. Every single time, I’d get this horrible knot in my stomach, this crushing dread, just pure fear and worry. You know how it is when your future is on the line? It was brutal!

Having a daughter really brought things into focus, and the constant worry about making ends meet was always there. It made it impossible to truly relax or assume anything would be easy, and I still feel that way today.

Kelly’s future is now uncertain as ITV significantly cuts back on its daytime TV programming. Her daily breakfast show, which previously aired for a full hour year-round, will now only be thirty minutes each day.

The presenter explained that having her granddaughter, Billie, helped her see things differently and value the present moment.

She admitted she still doesn’t know what the future holds, and that’s true for everyone. However, becoming a grandmother has helped her focus on enjoying the present moment, thanks to her grandchild, Billie, who lives fully in the now.

Even though she’s still very young, less than two years old, I find so much joy in simple things with her. We can spend ages watching a puddle, and blowing bubbles is endlessly entertaining – every single bubble feels just as magical for both of us, whether it’s the first or the hundredth.

Kelly has repeatedly stressed the importance of giving more voice to working-class people in the media, arguing that if we only hear from those with privilege, we won’t make progress.

The talk show host was a guest on BBC’s Desert Island Discs last November, and spoke about upcoming changes to her program. Starting in 2026, the show will be shortened to 30-minute episodes and air for only 30 weeks out of the year due to budget cuts at ITV.

Oh my gosh, Kelly – she’s been on TV forever, since the eighties! – she just said the most amazing thing. She was talking about everything going on, and she said, ‘Things have to change.’ And then, she said it’s just another change for her because she’s lived through so many different eras, but this one feels… huge. Honestly, it’s like she understands everything, and it’s so reassuring to hear her say it. Seismic, she called it! It’s perfect.

She’s most upset by the fact that the reorganization will split up her close-knit team, which she values highly.

Our primary goal is to protect as many jobs as possible, but ultimately, we have to accept the realities of the current situation.

Kelly, originally from Glasgow and later moving to East Kilbride as a teenager, was very upset to learn she wasn’t offered a job at the BBC because of the way she spoke – her Scottish, working-class accent.

She was eventually hired for TV-am by an Australian who did not recognise her accent.

In an interview with Lauren Laverne on Desert Island Discs, she expressed concern that people from working-class backgrounds aren’t always given the same chances she was.

Honestly, it drives me crazy when people talk about diversity and inclusion, because it feels like they’re missing a huge part of the picture! It’s not just about race or religion, it’s about people – working-class people, from every background you can imagine, who are just being completely overlooked and left to struggle. It’s like they’re invisible, and it really bothers me!

Ultimately, it’s a financial issue. These young people simply can’t afford to live and work in London, making it impossible for them to access opportunities they deserve.

It’s crucial to listen to all voices in our country, not just those of a select few or the loudest ones online. If we only hear limited perspectives, we won’t make progress and things will likely get much worse.

Kelly said at the start of her career she “applied for every single job at the BBC”.

She remembered applying for the farming correspondent job at BBC Aberdeen, despite admitting she knew absolutely nothing about farming. ‘I really didn’t know the first thing about cows,’ she said.

The presenter also admitted that becoming a mother had ‘made me so much better at my job.’

She explained that interacting with him significantly improved her own character, noting he was much more empathetic and understanding.

You know, when Laverne asked her about how she comes across on TV, she put it perfectly. She said she’s definitely being herself, but it’s a slightly heightened, curated version of me – like a polished take on who I really am.

‘I mean if I was really myself, I’d be taken off the air.’ 

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2026-04-22 11:37