Lorraine Kelly had her say on the ITV cuts as her airtime is set to be cut from one hour to 30 minutes with her show moving to a 30-week ‘seasonal basis’ from January.
Morning TV legend Lorraine Kelly has opened up about ITV’s recent shake-up, admitting that “it’s been difficult” as she faces major changes to her long-running daytime show.
The broadcaster is undergoing significant cuts, which will see Lorraine reduced from a one-hour programme to a 30-minute slot and moved to a 30-week “seasonal” schedule.
Despite the upheaval, Lorraine says she’s staying positive about the new format as the transition approaches.
Speaking to Woman magazine, the presenter revealed that most of her production team many of whom have worked alongside her for more than 20 years have secured new roles within ITV’s updated structure. She expressed optimism that they’ll remain close, saying:
“They might not be working with me, but they’ll certainly be working on daytime. Even the ones that aren’t staying they’re friends, so I’ll still see them.”
Reflecting on the changes, Lorraine acknowledged that television has evolved dramatically since her show first launched in September 2010. “I knew there had to be cutbacks and there had to be changes,” she admitted, adding that it’s a very different media landscape today.
“There are so many more outlets now,” she added, “and television has to cut its cloth in every single department…”
Lorraine Kelly says she’s now “a lot happier” about the ITV changes after taking time to process what they mean for her and her team.
“As I keep saying, this is just another change. Who knows what will happen in six months? They might expand it, they might not,” she said.
Familiar faces such as fashion expert Mark Reyes and showbiz reporter Ross King will continue to appear regularly, and while the show will need to be “tighter” due to its shorter runtime, Lorraine promises it will remain the programme viewers expect.
Addressing rumours that Lorraine could be cancelled, she told the Mirror: “I don’t see me going anywhere until people get fed up… until people say, ‘I’ve had enough of that one.’”
With more time on her hands, Lorraine is exploring new projects, including potential travel shows and a revival of the podcast she launched with her daughter in 2021. She explained the podcast had paused because of her granddaughter Billie, who has now celebrated her first birthday a milestone Lorraine described as “scary” for how quickly time has passed.
The ITV presenter reflected on the past, saying, “You were pregnant during the last series of What If? Now, here we are with a wee one.”
She and her co-host revealed plans for future episodes exploring “life’s turning points,” with Wet Wet Wet singer Marti Pellow set to appear on the first show.