Staff at Lorraine Kelly‘s ITV show are reportedly worried she will quit after it was announced the series has been cut to air for only 30 weeks a year and from an hour to 30 minutes.
ITV Daytime bosses announced huge cuts on Tuesday with job losses in excess of 220.
Lorraine faced the brunt of the cuts with Good Morning Britain now taking her 9-10am slot for 22 weeks of the year.
For the remaining 30 weeks of the year, Lorraine will present five days a week, meaning her Friday stand-in presenters Ranvir Singh and Christine Lampard are no longer needed for the show.
Lorraine’s show has also been slashed in half, now running for just 30 minutes from 9:30am to 10am.
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Staff at Lorraine Kelly’s ITV show are reportedly worried she will quit after it was announced the series has been cut to air for only 30 weeks a year and from an hour to 30 minutes
Lorraine’s show has also been slashed in half, now running for just 30 minutes from 9:30am to 10am
Staff now fear the presenter may decide to throw in the towel with a source telling 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.’
A second source said morale is now low among employees, adding: ‘Staff are beside themselves, and have been in tears constantly. It doesn’t make any sense given the trajectory the show is on.’
MailOnline has contacted representatives for ITV and Lorraine Kelly for comment.
Lorraine presented fewer than 60 per cent of the editions of her show broadcast in 2024, with Christine and Ranvir often filling in for her.
The presenter said her absences were initially due to caring for her sick mother but then also became about her desire to do other things.
She told The Guardian: ‘It’s really hurtful actually. It really is. I’ve not spoken about it before. I’m a grafter and I work really hard and I’ve had to take Fridays off for the past year. I just thought it was weird to care so much.
‘Initially, it was for my mum who has been ill. And it sort of brings you into line with everyone else because if you look at This Morning, everybody else does four days.
A source said: ‘There are genuine fears among staff that Lorraine may decide to walk if the quality of the show they are putting out declines’
They added: ‘It’s hard to see how standards won’t fall….and there are questions over whether Lorraine will want to be associated with that’
‘And as I’m getting older, I want to do other things, more writing, all of that. Mate, I’ve been doing this for 40 years, working my a**e off.’
ITV sources told MailOnline that they have decided to cut resources on their daytime schedule so that the network can invest in more drama programmes.
One said: ‘There is a need to cost save but also so that the right money can go to the right shows and with everything getting more expensive these things have to be looked at.’
The source added: ‘Christine and Ranvir remain part of the ITV daytime family.’
This Morning, whose presenters include Alison Hammond, Ben Shepherd, and Cat Deeley, remains untouched.
It was also announced today that ITV Studios will no longer make Good Morning Britain but instead it will be made by ITN – the organisation which makes ITV News.
That means that there could be a merger between the staff working on GMB – which is hosted by Susanna Reid – and the channel’s news bulletins.
Meanwhile, ITV said that it is unlikely any on-screen talent will be axed.
For the remaining 30 weeks of the year, Lorraine will present five days a week, meaning her Friday stand-in presenter Christine Lampard (pictured) and Ranvir Singh are no longer needed
Loose Women will also now air for just 30 weeks of the year
The panel show will adopt a two week on, two weeks off schedule
An ITV source insisted that the changes have not be influenced by any of the show’s performances, saying: ‘We recognise daytime is a very popular genre and these changes and efficiencies are about preserving the future of the genre, whilst also funding additional investment in dramas like Mr Bates vs The Post Office and in coverage of the biggest sporting events like next year’s football World Cup as well as the UK’s biggest reality and entertainment shows.
‘This has nothing to do with under performance, the bosses are very pleased with all four shows. This Morning and GMB have escaped unscathed, their social media footprint is booming.’
Kevin Lygo, Managing Director of ITV’s Media and Entertainment Division, explained the changes: ‘Daytime is a really important part of what we do, and these scheduling and production changes will enable us to continue to deliver a schedule providing viewers with the news, debate and discussion they love from the presenters they know and trust as well generating savings which will allow us to reinvest across the programme budget in other genres.
‘These changes also allow us to consolidate our news operations and expand our national, international and regional news output and to build upon our proud history of trusted journalism at a time when our viewers need accurate, unbiased news coverage more than ever.’
Lygo added: ‘I recognise that our plans will have an impact on staff off screen in our Daytime production teams, and we will work with ITV Studios and ITN as they manage these changes to produce the shows differently from next year, and support them through this transition.
‘Daytime has been a core element of ITV’s schedule for over 40 years and these changes will set ITV up to continue to bring viewers award winning news, views and discussion as we enter our eighth decade.’
The news was announced in an emergency staff meeting held by ITV Daytime boss Emma Gormley on Tuesday afternoon.
