Plus, what else we know about the daytime massacre

A FAMOUS radio star thinks that ITV ‘could merge Loose Women, Good Morning Britain and Lorraine’ together as one show.

Yesterday it was revealed how ITV were making drastic cuts to their morning show Lorraine, and lunchtime’s Loose Women in a bid to save money.

ance with our Privacy Policy

A famous radio star thinks that ITV ‘could merge Loose Women, Good Morning Britain and Lorraine’ together as one showCredit: Shutterstock Editorial

Chris Evans thinks that GMB, Loose Women and Lorraine could mergeCredit: Shutterstock Editorial

5

There are fears that Lorraine Kelly could quit TVCredit: Shutterstock Editorial

Chris Evans hosts the Virgin Radio breakfast show
And now it has been claimed that the channel could merge its three daytime shows – Loose Women, Good Morning Britain, and Lorraine.

Chris Evans was at the helm of The Chris Evans Breakfast Show with the National Lottery on Virgin Radio UK this morning when he speculated over how things might play out at ITV.

He wished everyone at ITV “good luck” before saying: “It’s tough out there. It’s tough on terrestrial television at the moment.

“They’re basically halving the daytime budget.

“So a lot of shows are going down to half the number of episodes they’re currently showing.”

He then shared: “And there’s a conversation that [GMB] might meld with Lorraine and Lorraine might meld with This Morning, This Morning might meld with Loose Women.”

Chris later said that the shows were all quite alike.

He said: “And the shows, they’re not dissimilar, are they? The shows, you know, they have a lot of the same people on.

“You know what I would do because people are fans of different shows?

“If you’re going to plug something on GMB, you could just hang around and then go on Lorraine.

Lorraine Kelly struggles to keep straight face in most bizarre interview to date

ITV Faces Major Shake-Up: Good Morning Britain Stars Under Threat Amid Cost Cuts
“I’m not joking you could you know and then you could hang around and go on This Morning so if you’re on Lorraine between 8:30 and 9:30 hang around or go for a little jog or something, they’ve got showers there you know or go and have some food or catch up on some emails.

“And then go on, say the last half hour of This Morning. Nobody would notice.”

This comes amid chatter that beloved morning host, Lorraine, 65, who underwent surgery earlier this month, could quit TV for good.

Sources say that staff on Lorraine are fearing the legendary host could quit.

In a very drastic move from ITV amid the shakeup they revealed this week, the Scottish presenter’s show will be slashed from an hour to 30 minutes.

Not only this, but it will only air for 30 weeks out of 52.

The changes mean fewer appearances from Lorraine, who has hosted her self-titled programme since 2010 and been with ITV since the 80s.

Her regular stand-ins, Christine Lampard and Ranvir Singh, will not host the show on a Friday anymore, but will remain part of the “ITV family”, it has been revealed.

Even though ITV boss Kevin Lygo has insisted that all presenters will remain the same across all affected programmes, a source told The Mirror: “There are genuine fears among staff that Lorraine may decide to walk if the quality of the show they are putting out declines.

“It’s hard to see how standards won’t fall….and there are questions over whether Lorraine will want to be associated with that.

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

The source added that the move was a “kick in the teeth” for the programme.

A second insider added: “This is a presenter who has just come back from having an operation, has won a Bafta, is enjoying record ratings….and then ITV show their appreciation by yanking her off air half the year.

“Staff are beside themselves, and have been in tears constantly.

“It doesn’t make any sense given the trajectory the show is on.”

Altogether, ITV is slashing 220 jobs, as it aims for cost savings of up to £50million.

ITV confirmed in a dramatic statement that from January 2026, the show will air 9.30am to 10am, and only for 30 weeks a year.

The move comes as part of a major overhaul of ITV’s Daytime schedule, which will also see Good Morning Britain extended to 9.30am and produced by ITV News at ITN.

This Morning and Loose Women will continue but share production resources in a cost-cutting blitz.

ITV says savings made will go into dramas and major sporting events, including the next football World Cup.

5

Lorraine is facing a major shakeupCredit: Shutterstock Editorial