ITV panelist Nadia Sawalha spoke of her heartbreak after learning that her friend and co-star was axed from the show

Loose Women star Nadia Sawalha has shared her heartbreak as she revealed she was “devastated” to learn that a co-star and friend had been axed from the show.

It comes as part of ITV Daytime’s cost-cutting moves after the budget was slashed by the channel, hitting Loose Women, Lorraine and Good Morning Britain particularly hard.

Nadia, 60, opened up on her latest YouTube channel about how the changes were affecting her and how one of her close friends no longer had a job.

Speaking with husband Mark Adderley, she said: “From next year there will be no Loose Women audience.

“I am totally devastated by this fact, I can’t get over it at all. Not only because the audience is so important for the show, but also my dear friend Lee who I work with every day.”

Nadia Sawalha shared her heartbreak over the cost-cutting measures (
Image:
YouTube)
Comedian Lee Peart had been the warm-up act for the last eight years on Loose Women.

The news comes after it was revealed last month that from January 2026, Good Morning Britain will be extended by 30 minutes to run from 6am to 9.30am daily. The change also sees Lorraine Kelly’s show cut in half.

It will now run from 9.30am until 10am, and only be on our screens for 30 weeks of the year – the same amount of weeks as Loose Women will now air.

It’s thought up to a third of the 26-strong pool of Loose Women presenters could now face losing their job. A source previously said: “Everyone is completely gutted and in shock.

“We can’t believe they would dismantle these brilliant shows. It’s the death of daytime TV.”

Warm-up act Lee Peart has been axed (
Image:
Samuel Black Photography)
Another added: “There’s no way all the Loose Women will be needed now there’ll be far fewer episodes to fill.”

Despite the on-screen show being cut, Loose Women: The Podcast will continue and provide more work for the cast.

The overhaul was announced by Kevin Lygo, managing director of ITV’s media and entertainment division. He said: “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 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.

“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.”