Nadia Sawalha ‘devastated’ as she shares further details of ITV Loose Women overhaul amid cuts: ‘Can’t get over it’
Loose Women star Nadia Sawalha has shared a candid update following the announcement of ITV cuts affecting the daytime show.
Sawalha, 60, has been vocal about the channel’s changes to morning and daytime programmes, and has now admitted she’s “devastated” by a major change being made to the chat show.
As part of cost-cutting moves, it was announced last month that Loose Women and Lorraine would face major changes.
Lorraine Kelly’s self-titled morning show will now only air for 30 weeks of the year and has been dropped to just 30 minutes of airtime, with Loose Women facing similar changes.
Revealing details of another change, Sawhalha took to her YouTube Channel to express how upset she was over the move.
Appearing on a video clip with husband Mark Adderley, she revealed that the show, which famously hosts a live audience, would be getting rid of the feature.
“From next year there will be no Loose Women audience,” she shared, continuing: “I am totally devastated by this fact, I can’t get over it at all.
“Not only because the audience is so important for the show, but also my dear friend Lee who I work with every day.”
Comedian Lee Peart had been the warm-up act on the show for the last eight years.
The update comes after initial changes, set to be implemented from January next year, were announced in May.
The cuts form part of a wider restructuring that will see 220 production staff out of 440 lose their jobs across ITV’s daytime programming.
Presenter Kelly, 65, was informed of the changes in a separate meeting with ITV boss Kevin Lygo shortly after recovering from laparoscopy surgery in May.
She reportedly rejected a proposal to merge her show with Good Morning Britain.
A source told The Mirror: “Lorraine was not happy about what is happening and also had concern for the production team which works on her show and will be cut back too.”
The insider added that Kelly “needs to show bosses it is worth keeping on air” and was “left in no doubt after the meeting there are some tough times ahead.”
A new 12-month position titled Head of Lorraine is understood to have been created to oversee the changes.
Kelly passionately defended her four-decade career, stating on Tom Kerridge’s Proper Tasty podcast: “I’ve been doing telly for over 40 years.
“It’s mad isn’t it? It’s absolutely crazy. I started in breakfast telly in 1984, and I’m still getting away with it. Extraordinarily.”
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The presenter is reportedly prepared to work harder to prove her show’s worth, with sources suggesting she will be “pulling hard to get big name celebrities on her show instead of GMB or This Morning.”
Kelly expressed her deep connection to the programme, saying: “I always say I treat people with huge respect and all of that. I’m inviting them into my house, in a sense.”