ITV Cuts Loose Women Audience, Reduces Episodes Amid Budget Cuts

ITV is implementing significant budget cuts to its daytime TV schedule, including reducing Loose Women to 30 episodes per year and eliminating its live studio audience to save costs. This decision has upset key panellists such as Ruth Langsford, Kaye Adams, Nadia Sawalha, and Charlene White, who value the audience interaction that brings energy to the show, fearing that the lack of a live audience may lead to viewers losing interest. The cost-saving measures extend to other shows like Lorraine, which will be cut to 30 minutes and only broadcast during school term times, while Good Morning Britain will be extended by 30 minutes. The changes have also resulted in job losses across ITV's daytime offerings and are causing uncertainty among the Loose Women panel, with Kaye Adams describing the cuts as a sudden and challenging disruption. Despite the cuts, Loose Women continues to address important topics, such as women’s health and menopause, maintaining its role as a platform for open conversation. Overall, ITV’s daytime lineup is undergoing a major transformation in response to financial pressures, with mixed reactions from talent and concerns about the impact on viewer engagement.