TV host Lorraine Kelly has opened up about her ‘disappointment’ towards major cuts to her daytime show and described the ITV schedule changes as ‘seismic’
Lorraine Kelly speaks on how much the ITV schedule cuts has impacted her(Image: ITV)
Presenter Lorraine Kelly treated fans across the nation for more than 15 years on her ITV daytime show. So it’s perhaps understandable that she has become rather protective of her usual TV slot.
But judging by a recent interview it appears that changes made by ITV bosses have impacted her far more than we were led to believe, as she reveals that she was left “disappointed” by the “seismic” changes.
The 65 year old’s TV career has spanned decades entertaining the nation with juicy interviews and her relatable tone. But back in May, it was announced that Good Morning Britain will take over her 9am-10am slot for 22 weeks of the year. For the remaining 30 weeks, Lorraine will continue to be the face of her show. However, Ranvir Singh and Christine Lampard, who regularly take over her Friday morning slot, will no longer be required.
Lorraine Kelly speaks on how much the ITV schedule cuts has impacted her
The Lorraine show’s running time has also been impacted by the major overhaul as it will now air for only 30 minutes.
Speaking about the changes while on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs, she confessed: “I was disappointed, of course I was. This is the world that we live in now. Things have to change, I mean, I’ve been through so many regime changes in my life.”
She added: “For me, this is just another one, but it’s seismic. The thing that has upset me the most is the fact that we’ve got this great team, and obviously, that’s not going to be in place next year because jobs will go. “
She continued: “Hopefully I’ll be able to hang on to some of these amazing people – that’s my aim. It’s very, very sad. It really is.”
But it is not just the changes to her show that she was worried about. In an interview with the Mirror, she revealed that her main goal was to save as many jobs as possible.
She told us: “It’s been difficult with the cuts, it’s been hard. I’m a lot happier about it now, but it was honestly and genuinely all about the team. I wasn’t annoyed or angry about this for me… it was about the team.”
At the time of the cuts it was suggested that she would be hanging up her presenting boots – but that couldn’t be further from the truth.
She went on to say: “Absolutely not. I am going to be toddling off that show in my Zimmer frame, and even then, I’ll be coming in. I don’t see me going anywhere until people get fed up, you know? Until people say, I’ve had enough of that one.”
Away from the cameras, Lorraine is married to Steven Smith and the couple share a daughter together. And it seems after 33 years together the passion is very much alive.
With the growing rise in divorce rates, Lorraine believes the secret to her long-standing marriage is that neither party takes each other for granted.
In an exclusive chat with the Mirror, she explained: “We never take each other for granted because that is so easy to do in a long marriage.”
She went on to say: “It’s also important to us that Steve very much has his own life as well as our life together. We’ve both got our own interests and friends. I do think it is important to have your own space. It gives you more to talk about and he makes me laugh, he’s my rock.”
