Loose Women ‘𝗚𝗨𝗧𝗧𝗘𝗗’ as ITV Axes Studio Audience — Viewers Slam Show as “Flat” and “Unwatchable”
Loose Women viewers raged over ITV‘s ‘downgrade’ as the show aired its first episode without a studio audience on Monday.
In June last year the Daily Mail exclusively revealed that the ITV programme was set to axe the live audience in a desperate bid to save money as the channel’s budget cuts raged on.
The previous month it was reported that Lorraine and Loose Women were set to be axed for half the year, as well as Lorraine’s runtime was to be slashed by 30 minutes.
The changes have taken place today (Monday 5 January 2026), and the new studio is located at The H Club Studio in Covent Garden, London, after previously being filmed at the Television Centre in White City.
Christine Lampard, 46, Coleen Nolan, 60, Kelly Brook, 46, and Jane Moore, 63, returned to our screens to chat about the latest newsworthy topics.
But those watching at home couldn’t help but point out that something was missing.
Loose Women viewers raged over ITV’s ‘downgrade’ as the show aired its first episode without a studio audience on Monday.
In June last year the Daily Mail exclusively revealed that the ITV programme was set to axe the live audience in a desperate bid to save money as the channel’s budget cuts raged on
Kaye Adams, Coleen Nolan, Mica Paris, Janet Street-Porter and Brenda Edwards pictured in the old studio last year – which included a live audience
One wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter: ‘Omg how weird is #LooseWomen with no audience!!!’
‘Why is there no audience?#LooseWomen.’
‘No audience, it’s just empty..’
‘Already missing the old layout, ITV really downgraded both locations for loose women and this morning.’
‘No studio audience #LooseWomen.’
‘The audience helped bring a fantastic atmosphere and now decided that it’s not important anymore.’
‘At least there was some atmosphere with an audience. It’s like they’re all talking loudly to fill a void. #loosewomen.’
Coleen even referenced the silence herself, at one point telling guest Tom Read Wilson: ‘It’s quite quiet, I’ll give you a round of applause!’
A TV source told Daily Mail last year: ‘The panelists are really upset over the decision to axe the live studio audience from the show.
Many rushed to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share how much they missed the audience on Loose Women
‘It’s what sets the series apart from the rest of ITV daytime and now there are massive fears that viewers will switch off completely.
‘The only concern now is to cut costs and having a live studio audience can be expensive, with the added need for security and a warmup artist.
‘Presenters already know how it feels to broadcast the show without an audience because that’s what happened during the pandemic, and they all know it creates low mood and lack of atmosphere.’
Back in May it was revealed that Lorraine Kelly – who presents Lorraine – was set to face the brunt of the cuts with Good Morning Britain taking her 9-10am slot for 22 weeks of the year.
For the remaining 30 weeks of the year, Lorraine will present five days a week, meaning her Friday stand-in presenters Ranvir Singh and Christine Lampard are no longer needed for the show.
Lorraine’s show has also been slashed in half, now running for just 30 minutes from 9:30am to 10am.
A source told Daily Mail at the time: ‘There is a need to cost save but also so that the right money can go to the right shows and with everything getting more expensive these things have to be looked at.’
The source added: ‘Christine and Ranvir remain part of the ITV daytime family.’
This Morning, whose presenters include Alison Hammond, Ben Shepherd, and Cat Deeley, remains untouched.
It was also announced today that ITV Studios will no longer make Good Morning Britain but instead it will be made by ITN – the organisation which makes ITV News.
That means that there could be a merger between the staff working on GMB – which is hosted by Susanna Reid – and the channel’s news bulletins.
Meanwhile, ITV said that it is unlikely any on-screen talent will be axed.
An ITV source insisted that the changes have not be influenced by any of the show’s performances, saying: ‘We recognise daytime is a very popular genre and these changes and efficiencies are about preserving the future of the genre, whilst also funding additional investment in dramas like Mr Bates vs The Post Office and in coverage of the biggest sporting events like next year’s football World Cup as well as the UK’s biggest reality and entertainment shows.
‘This has nothing to do with under performance, the bosses are very pleased with all four shows. This Morning and GMB have escaped unscathed, their social media footprint is booming.’
Kevin Lygo, Managing Director of ITV’s Media and Entertainment Division, explained the changes: ‘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.’
Lygo 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.”