Loose Women is being pulled from ITV for the rest of the week
Loose Women star Ruth Langsford is replacing Lorraine Kelly amid more major changes set to affect the ITV daytime schedule.
2026 has seen Loose Women undergoing a series of changes as a result of cost-saving measures by the broadcaster. The series’ live crowd and announcer have both been missing since January.
Additionally, Loose Women moved to The H Club Studio in London’s Covent Garden, where This Morning and Lorraine are also filmed to save costs. With all the daytime line-up all being produced under one roof, the studio boasts a 360 degree set with LED walls which ensures a quick turn around between shows.
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Both Loose Women and Loraine are now only running for 30 weeks a year, dramatically reduced from airing every week. Fans have already experienced the first block of weeks where neither was on air.
Speaking about the changes last year, ITV boss Kevin Lygo explained: “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 as 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.”
He 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.”
On Monday (June 15), Ruth returned to Loose Women alongside Emmerdale actress Lisa Riley, Coronation Street legend Sue Cleaver and Brenda Edwards. At the end of the episode, Ruth confirmed it was their final episode of the week.
Loose Women will not air for the rest of this week due to ITV’s coverage of Royal Ascot. The annual event kicks off on Tuesday (June 16), and runs until Saturday (June 20).
Despite the racing action not beginning until 1.30pm on ITV1 and ITVX, after Loose Women airs, the ITV lunchtime news will air at the earlier time of 1pm. As a result of this, the panel show is taking four days off.
However, viewers will still get to see Ruth in action on Friday (June 19). The former wife of Eamonn Holmes confirmed that she will stepping in for Lorraine Kelly on her self-titled talk show.
“That’s it for today and this week actually, because Loose Women’s off because of Ascot. We’ll be back in a week’s time. I’m going to be back, actually, on Friday.
“I’m covering Lorraine on Friday. Loose Women [will be] back on Monday at the usual time of 12.30pm. Until then, have a great afternoon. Thanks for your company, goodbye,” she said.
Lorraine won’t be fronting her programme, which now only runs for 30 minutes, due to her traveling to America for Scotland’s World Cup match against Morocco. The Scottish native is one of her nation’s most famous fans.
Football fans were left shocked in the early hours of Sunday morning (June 14) when Lorraine made a cameo during the BBC’s coverage of Scotland’s clash with Haiti. Lorraine, Susan Boyle and Gordon Ramsey all sent in messages of support for the boys in blue prior to their historic 1-0 win.
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