ITV schedule shake up sees Lorraine and Loose Women off air for a WEEK after brutal cuts saw episodes slashed in half
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It's bad news for fans of Lorraine and Loose Women as the popular shows will not be on air for a WEEK next month.
They have been removed from the schedule to make way for the ever-popular horse racing event, the Cheltenham Festival, which kicks off on March 10.
The changes will be implemented from Monday, March 9, with Good Morning Britain having its running time extended until 10am.
It will be followed by This Morning, which airs from 10am, before coverage of the prestigious race begins at 12:30pm.
News of the schedule change follows a number of brutal cost-cutting cuts at ITV that resulted in over 200 members of staff being made redundant.
The changes were the result of lower viewer numbers and a general shift towards television consumption via streaming services online.
It's bad news for fans of Lorraine and Loose Women as the popular shows will not be on air for a week next month
Lorraine and Good Morning Britain will be replaced by the ever-popular horse racing event, the Cheltenham Festival , which kicks off on March 10
The cuts, which were implemented in January, saw Lorraine's length slashed from one hour to just 30 minutes.
Loose Women was also massively affected by the changes and will now run for just 30 weeks of the year - without its signature studio audience.
In a bid to fill the time left open by these changes, Good Morning Britain had its running time extended by half an hour.
However, its filming location was changed to a smaller studio at ITN's Gray's Inn Road in London, forcing staff to leave behind their long-term home at the Television Centre.
A source told The Sun: 'It's terribly sad for the whole team. There are staff who have worked for ITV Daytime for years – from GMTV to Daybreak to GMB – also on Lorraine, Loose Women and This Morning.
'Now the teams have been split up and relocated and it's the end of an era. Many people who weren't ready to leave yet are saying goodbye forever.'
ITV's Managing Director of Media and Entertainment, Kevin Lygo, said: 'Daytime is a really important part of what we do.
'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.'
News of the schedule change follows a number of brutal cost-cutting cuts at ITV that resulted in over 200 members of staff being made redundant
ITV's managing director continued: '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.'
Ranvir Singh recently opened up about the reality of working on 'splintered' Good Morning Britain after ITV daytime cuts saw long-time colleagues axed.
The presenter, 48, is a familiar face to ITV viewers through her work on Good Morning Britain, Lorraine and the game show Riddiculous.
Speaking in a recent interview, Ranvir addressed the impact that the cuts have had on her colleagues, as well as the shows themselves.
She told the Express: 'I have to say, whatever you do personally in your career doesn't really equate to the difficulties that colleagues of mine behind the scenes have clearly felt.
'I have said a fond farewell to lots of people I've worked with for over ten years, who have got up at the crack of dawn and worked in all the different departments.'
Ranvir Singh addressed working on 'splintered' Good Morning Britain amid ITV daytime budget cuts
Ranvir added: 'A lot of those have stayed, because we're still doing really well, the figures are great for Good Morning Britain and we're doing well, but it has been a big change.
'Nothing you do personally, obviously, that's great, but you still miss the people that you have loved working with for over a decade on breakfast television.
'I'm still in touch with a lot of them, and we chat and message.'
Ranvir added: 'That family feel... whilst we might all be slightly splintered now, the memories never, ever fade, it's a special kind of camaraderie you feel at 4am I have to say, it's unusual.
'Any shift worker will tell you, it's a very different kind of working relationship that you form with people at that time of the morning.'
Lorraine typically airs on ITV on weekdays from 9:30am and Loose Women airs from 12:30pm.
