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Lorraine Kelly insists she will do her best to ‘crack on with things’ after sweeping budget cuts at ITV resulted in her daily breakfast show being reduced to just 30 minute episodes.
The network has drastically slimmed down its daytime output, with more than 220 staff-members facing redundancy and a string of shows affected by reduced financial resources.
Formerly an hour a long, breakfast show Lorraine has faced the brunt of the cuts with a fifty percent reduction in screen time and will now air for only 30 weeks of the year, from its original 52.
But the show’s principal host, 66, insists she will continue presenting when required, and maintains a philosophical attitude to the sweeping job cuts at ITV.
She told Bella: ‘I’ve made the decision to stay and we’ll just make the best of it. It’s going to be fine.
‘I’m a realist and I’ve been through a lot of changes over the years in my career, and this is just another one.
Lorraine Kelly insists she will do her best to ‘crack on with things’ after sweeping budget cuts at ITV resulted in her daily breakfast show being reduced to just 30 minute episodes
Formerly an hour a long, Lorraine has faced the brunt of the cuts with a fifty percent reduction in screen time and will now air for only 30 weeks of the year, from its original 52
She added: ‘Nobody’s got a job for life and the whole industry is changing, so you have to go with it or get left behind. We’re resilient in our industry. You just crack on with things.
‘You’ve just got to do that and help each other as much as you can.’
Loose Women has also found itself a casualty of ITV cuts, with the afternoon panel show axing its live studio audience after following the channel from its old studio complex to a significantly smaller base in London’s Covent Garden.
Further cutbacks mean that Susanna Reid has lost her own dedicated hairdresser, and no longer gets as much attention from the remaining hair and make-up artists as she once did, as Good Morning Britain staff now have to share their backstage resources with ITV News.
Previously all daytime TV shows were shot at the sizeable Television Centre in White City, and the reduced space is said to be causing issues off-camera.
A source told Daily Mail: ”It’s incredibly chaotic behind the scenes. The space for all three shows – Loose Women, This Morning and Lorraine – is downstairs in the basement so three different sets are all crammed into one place.
‘Backstage the dressing rooms are limited. There just isn’t enough space, especially when there are four women getting ready to be in front of the camera at the same time.
‘It’s not an ideal situation at all. There have been some meltdowns.’
Loose Women has also found itself a casualty of ITV cuts, with the afternoon panel show axing its live studio audience
Further cutbacks mean that Susanna Reid has lost her own dedicated hairdresser, and no longer gets as much attention from the remaining hair and make-up artists as she once did
Scottish presenter Lorraine announced on Saturday that her 84-year old father, John, had died
Scottish presenter Lorraine announced on Saturday that her 84-year old father, John, had died.
Despite being in poor health, his death came as a shock to the broadcaster who paid tribute to the man who taught her to be “curious”.
She told Instagram followers: ‘Very sad news. My dad has died.
I am mourning the man who bought me a telescope when I was five years old, who watched the moon landings with me and taught me to always be curious and interested in everything.
‘He was in poor health but it has still been a shock. Any of you who have experienced a similar loss will know how my brother Graham and I are feeling.’
She added: ‘Our priority is taking care of my mum and the family would very much appreciate privacy at this distressing time. We will miss you dad.’
It’s understood that John was found injured in East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire, after slipping on ice and sadly died at the scene amid freezing temperatures.
