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Coronation Street star Colson Smith has revealed there’s already new ventures in the pipeline following his brutal axe from the ITV soap, that saw his character Craig Tinker die

Coronation Street star Colson Smith has revealed there’s already new ventures in the pipeline(Image: Getty Images)

Colson Smith has already lined up his next career move following his Coronation Street exit.

His character Craig Tinker was killed off on Wednesday night in highly emotional scenes. It follows Colson learning from bosses that he had been axed back in October.

But after processing the news and filming his final scenes, the star, who opened up on the “grief” like feelings of his departure, revealed all on what he was up to post-Corrie. While he did not go into detail, he confirmed there was something already in the pipeline.

While he didn’t specify what it was or whether it was TV or something else, he did confirm he was already working on something with other big plans ahead. He spilled: “There are irons in the fire, but I will do the typical showbizzy thing of just teasing.

“Everyone always thinks there’s nothing going on, but there actually is. So you know, I’ve got stuff going on. I’m excited. I’m going through the process still of winding down from having been somewhere for 14 years, but I’m excited to see what’s next, and hopefully I can find somewhere to go to work and have fun

Colson Smith has already lined up his next career move (Image: ITV)

On what he hopes to move onto next, Colson fancies himself as a presenter. He explained: “I make no secret that I want to be a presenter, that’s where my love and passion lies at the moment. Ever since starting on the sofa with Jack [P Shepherd] and Ben [Price] and doing bits of TV with the games and Big Brother.

“I enjoy being Colson, and I enjoy telling stories, and I enjoy holding a show and being direct down the lens to camera, but I also enjoy going to work.” Colson does hope to continue acting, but wants a role that isn’t the same as his Corrie alter ego.

He said: “I’m looking forward to playing a character that isn’t Craig like I’m looking forward to getting back into acting and comedy acting, and really being a character and developing something. After 14 years of the same thing, you kind of have a taste for something else.”

Colson, who hosts a podcast with Corrie co-stars Jack P. Shepherd and Ben Price, fancies himself as a presenter(Image: ITV)

Colson shared that while he didn’t necessarily feel like he was grieving for is Corrie character, he did have “grief” in the sense of knowing no other job that comes his way will be the same as his experience on the ITV soap.

He explained: “I feel like I will miss Corrie, like I do miss Corrie. I miss going to work, I miss having a job, and I feel like I’m accepting of nothing will ever replace that.

“I can do anything in the rest of my career, the rest of my life, and I’m fully aware that I will never get what I have got from Coronation Street from anywhere else.

“That’s the thing that I’m going to ponder for. That’s the thing that I’m going to miss. I just know that it won’t be Corrie, it’s that bit. That’s my grief as such is that it’s not Corrie. That’s done, that’s over, that chapter’s shut.”

Gameshow host on The Accidental Tourist getting emotional, his love for Celebrity Catchphrase and how Holly Willoughby told him she was quitting You Bet!

Ant and Dec think viewers will love seeing self-confessed “unworldly” Stephen getting out and trying new things(Image: WireImage)

Stephen Mulhern says viewers will see a very different side to him in The Accidental Tourist, in which pals Ant and Dec send him on a journey of discovery to Korea. The much-loved gameshow host, whose ITV shows include Celebrity Catchphrase, Deal or No Deal and You Bet!, says he’s very happy to always hide behind his presenter alter ago.

But in the one-off special later this year, the audience will watch the real Stephen properly struggle as he pushes his boundaries by travelling to an unfamiliar country to eat food he doesn’t like with people he doesn’t know.

At the time of filming last year, he had just lost his father, Christopher, and his attempts to become more intrepid left Stephen, 48, feeling incredibly emotional at times. “No one’s ever seen me cry on the telly,” he muses now, admitting that it took nearly three years for him to be persuaded.

“But it was quite nice to not be behind a format, I’ve never done that. You’re going to see behind the razzle-dazzle, if you like. People have thankfully seen me on TV for nearly 25 years, but they may go, ‘Well, what’s he like at home? Is he going out with someone?’ I’m at the very centre of this and it’s scary.

Stephen loves being a gameshow host but has decided to put himself ‘out there’ with a travel show to Korea, with the shots called by Ant and Dec

“They film and they film and they film and they just get everything. I think what you’re going to see is a lot of emotion. You’ll see me totally out of my comfort zone.”

For the programme, designed to help him unleash his inner traveller, Stephen is sent to Asia, a continent he’s never visited because he only ever holidays in Florida. “I like the food and the theme parks,” he laughs. “Only Ant and Dec would choose Korea. Why couldn’t it have been Tokyo? It looks like New York.”

He says the idea to send him out into the world came about because he was so unadventurous and the Geordie pair thought it would be funny to see him learn new things. Already, the show has been compared to An Idiot Abroad, in which Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant sent their pal Karl Pilkington off on daft adventures. “The difference is that I got very emotional because of the timing,” he sighs. “I’m not very worldly. I don’t travel a lot. And my body’s been used to eating plain food.”

Stephen’s dad Christopher died last year, leaving him feeling “very emotional” as he started filming the new travel show(Image: Getty Images)

His reluctance to broaden his horizons has led to teasing from celebrity pals including Emma Willis and Holly Willoughby. “They would call me 50 Shades of Beige because of the food I eat, which is embarrassing really,” he laughs. But when he got back to the UK after filming ended, he found that the exotic diet had played havoc with his insides. “The food was just horrific, we’d try things like octopus, fish penis, something they dug out the very bottom of the sea and like a worm that’s wriggling, but when you squeeze it squirts water,” he shudders. “When I came back I couldn’t eat for two and a half weeks. I literally couldn’t stomach anything – I lost half a stone.”

He nearly quit along the way but managed to stick it out and, once home, his family asked if he’d be prepared to do it again. “The answer is, I don’t know,” he says now, looking faintly terrified at the prospect.

Having got over the experience, he does feel proud of himself, but it’s tinged with regret. “My dad had just passed away,” he says sadly. “So that’s the only thing. I’m gutted that he didn’t see it.”

Fully recovered from the ordeal, Stephen is now on screen with the final two episodes of Celebrity Catchphrase with guests including Mel Blatt, Michelle Visage and Jeremy Vine yet to come.

Stephen doesn’t know why Holly quit You Bet! and said he was “gutted” over her decision so soon after Dancing on Ice ended(Image: ITV)

He’s also making a second run of You Bet! – this time without co-host Holly Willoughby, who pulled out ahead of filming. Stephen says Holly, with whom he also hosted Dancing on Ice until it was axed after the most recent series, told him in person that she didn’t want to continue with the fun challenge show. “I’m gutted she’s not doing it, but I’ve had time to think about it,” he reasons. “Bruce Forsyth was the first person to do You Bet!, and he did it on his own. Matthew Kelly made it the best show on the telly. So maybe it’s happened for the right reasons. We’ve filmed one episode already and it felt very comfortable and it felt good. I think maybe it is just a one presenter show.”

It’s been reported that her Netflix series Celebrity Bear Hunt has been dropped after one run, and he says it’ll be “interesting” to see what she does next. “I don’t know what happened. She just said, ‘Look, sorry, I can’t do it.’ She told me face to face. She said, ‘Look, I’m gutted, but it’s all over.”

For himself, he has a hard time choosing between Catchphrase and Deal or No Deal when it comes to a favourite. On the one hand he’d choose the former, because he’s hosted it for so long – and would love to see a return for the original version featuring everyday people. But he also has a lot of love for the newer show because it was his market trader dad’s favourite and he was filming it while visiting him in hospital towards the end. “We were doing three a day and he would be asking me, ‘What were the winnings today?’ So it’s very, very dear to my heart simply because of that.”

When it comes to choosing between Mr Chips or The Banker, Stephen says the Catchphrase character wins every time(Image: ITV)

As something of a gameshow expert, Stephen believes that simplicity is the key to success. “If you can’t sum up the show in a sentence, it will never work,” he insists. “Catchphrase, say what you see. Play Your Cards Right, high or lower? You Bet, will they or won’t they? Deal Or No Deal, pick the right box. The Price Is Right, guess the prize,” he reels off. The road to failure, he believes, lies with having to think too hard as you play. “Catchphrase is a prime example of that – anyone can play it,” he says. “As I say to the contestants, if you have a good time, I promise you’ll do all right.”

With In For a Penny currently being rested, he’s decided to have a go at creating his own family entertainment show entirely from scratch. “I’m going to film a 20-minute pilot, I’m just going to invest my own money and then pitch it and see if it goes well,” he says. Inspired by the likes of Beadle’s About and Surprise, Surprise, it will involve his two favourite things – magic and practical jokes. “It’s very heartwarming as well,” he explains. “I just think it would be nice to do a show where I get to do a bit of magic and a bit of wind up, which I love doing,” he says. “I think that’s missing from our screens at the moment.”

– Celebrity Catchphrase, ITV/ITVX/STV, Sunday, 6.55pm

Dianne Buswell is on top of the world. She’s just won a Bafta, she’s starting a new tour and she’s the reigning Strictly champion. However, Dianne has plans for a new phase in her life too…

Dianne Buswell has created Bluey Dancealongs on the official Bluey YouTube channel(Image: BBC)

She’s the reigning champion of Strictly Come Dancing, she’s just won her first Bafta and she’s in a relationship with her former Strictly celeb partner, Joe Sugg. But there’s one thing missing from Dianne Buswell’s life – children. Dancer Dianne, 36, has been maternal for as long as she can remember, when growing up in Australia with two older brothers left her yearning for a younger sibling to look after. She filled the void by babysitting her cousins, but she says she’d like kids of her own at some point.

“Ever since I was a little girl, I used to want a little sister or brother,” says Dianne. “I was always the babysitter for all my little cousins – I’ve always been a real lover of children. They fascinate me so much.”

Dianne returned to Australia to film the Bluey Dancealongs at Bluey’s World(Image: BBC)

About to head out on tour with Strictly colleague Vito Coppola, followed by a new series of Strictly, Dianne isn’t planning to start a family any time soon, but she’s been working on a project she hopes her future kids would enjoy – a series of Bluey Dancealongs. The films will be on the official Bluey YouTube channel and teach children dance routines set to Bluey musical hits.

“I always think that in the future, if I was to have my own kids, that they would be able to potentially watch this,” says Dianne. “It plays at the back of my mind and that’s pretty cool.”

Dianne Buswell accepts the Memorable Moment Bafta in May 2025(Image: Getty Images for BAFTA)

The dancealongs were filmed at Bluey’s World in Brisbane and afterwards Dianne flew to see her family in Western Australia, where she is from. She’s also been on a minibreak to Bruges and a safari trip to South Africa this year with Joe, 33, who she met when she partnered him on Strictly in 2018.

But the hard work is about to start with the Dianne & Vito – Red Hot And Ready tour kicking off in June and then Strictly rehearsals beginning as early as August. “We had a couple of days in Bruges, which was lovely,” says Dianne. “And Joe and I got to do a trip to South Africa as well, which was incredible – and I got to go home to Australia. I feel like there’s a big chunk of work coming up but I definitely have prioritised downtime.”

Dianne Buswell was supported by boyfriend Joe Sugg at the Baftas where she won a trophy(Image: BAFTA via Getty Images)

Most celebrities who sign up for Strictly are shocked by the physical toll the dancing takes on them. And even though she’s a pro dancer, Dianne says she shares their pain.

“I love moving my body,” she says. “I do it a lot for mental health and it just makes me so happy, but when I go back to dance, it’s a different lot of muscles you’re using and you do feel it. When celebrities say, ‘Wow, this is intense on my body!’ I’m like, ‘I understand!’ If I’ve had a month or two off, my body goes into shock mode.”

Last winter, Dianne and her Strictly celebrity partner Chris McCausland made an impact on viewers as Dianne taught comedian Chris, who is blind, to dance. At the heart of their routines lay their friendship and shared sense of humour.

Viewers rewarded their efforts with the Glitterball Trophy, then they relived their triumph when Dianne collected a Bafta for most memorable TV moment earlier this month. In her acceptance speech, she recalled Chris performing the dance that won them the Bafta, saying, “He closed his eyes and he smiled a smile I’ve never seen from him before and that meant it came straight from his heart. This moment meant so much to the both of us, so I’m so thrilled that we have this.”

Dianne Buswell dazzles in a floral dress(Image: Getty Images for BAFTA)

Her speech summed up the special relationship between the pair, which has continued thanks to the success of their podcast Winning Isn’t Everything. “He’s so funny,” says Dianne. “It’s definitely a friendship that will last forever, for sure.”

Dancing with Chris also taught Dianne an important life lesson. “Before, I was always looking for perfection,” she says. “But with Chris, if something wasn’t perfect, I almost loved it even more. For people to resonate with it on an emotional level is even more powerful. He taught me that.”

Dianne joined Strictly in 2017 and since then she’s found love, become a champion and is a fan favourite. She admits it’s been a whirlwind that’s changed her life. “I wonder if I didn’t join the show, what I’d be doing now,” she says. “It’s mad but it’s a ride I’ve enjoyed.”

For Dianne, every Strictly series is different thanks to her changing celebrity partners – and each time she makes it her mission to understand them. I do my research so that I know more about them,” she says. “But you always find out the most about them when you work with them in the room.”

Dianne Buswell wants her dance partners to love the show(Image: Jeff Spicer/Getty Images)

For her, it’s about building a connection and transporting it to the dancefloor. She strives to instil a love of dance in her partners. “You don’t want to feel like you’re making them dance,” she explains. “You want them to want to dance. If they’re wanting to do it, then you’ll be absolutely fine. But you’ve got to know their limits and choreograph to their strengths.”

Dianne & Vito – Red Hot And Ready is touring from 11 June to 26 July. See dianneandvito.co.uk. Watch Dianne in Bluey Dancealongs on the official Bluey

Coronation Street star Colson Smith has announced his first job since being axed from the ITV soap just days after his onscreen death was aired

Colson Smith lands first job since Corrie axe (Image: Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)

It was sad week in Coronation Street this week, as Craig Tinker (Colson Smith) was killed off after a brutal assault in a tear jerking episode. It was announced earlier this year that the star would be leaving the soap – and there wasn’t a dry eye in sight when he left the cobbles for good on Wednesday night.

Colson was axed from the show last year, and just days after his tragic onscreen death, he’s taken to Instagram to announce his new job with BBC Radio Leeds.

Taking to his Instagram to thank followers for all the love this week, Colson, 26, wrote: “Thank you so much for all the love this week! I really appreciate it!”

Colson has landed a role at BBC Radio Leeds(Image: colsonjsmith/instagram)

He then had big news to share with his followers. Alongside a picture of him outside a BBC building, he wrote: “There’s a few exciting things going off!! BUT one thing I can tell you for now, is that I’m joining the team at BBC Radio Leeds this summer!!! Catch ya on the wireless in Yorkshire!!”

Colson is no stranger to speaking to a mic, as he fronts the On The Sofa with Colson, Jack and Ben podcast alongside cast mates and besties, Jack P. Shepherd and Ben Price who play David Platt and Nick Tilsley in the long running ITV soap.

Fans were overjoyed at the news, as they took to the comments to congratulate the star. “Go Colson!” exclaimed one fan, while another excited follower penned: “That’s exciting ekkk!”

The star took to Instagram to share the exciting news (Image: colsonjsmith/instagram)

A third devastated Corrie fan penned: “The last few episodes have been amazing. So sad you’re gone!! Wishing you all the best and look forward to watching your next journey.”

Earlier this week, Colson joined Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley on the This Morning sofa to chat about his exit, where he spoke about the “hard” moment he learnt he’d been given the axe.

Recalling his meeting with producer Kate Brooks, the star said: “Getting told is hard, hearing the words – I tried really hard not to put the words into her mouth. As soon as I knew, I was at peace with what was going on.” Despite asking to be killed off from the soap, Colson has also revealed he had no idea how brutal it would be.”

Although some actors would be gutted to hear their character was going to be killed off, Colson said if there was a way he wanted to go, that would be it.

“For me to go, I would want to leave. I would want to die, I would want the door to be shut, so then I can kind of know in my head that Corrie has been this, Corrie has done that, and it is now done, and Craig’s journey is over,” he told Ben and Cat.

Katie Piper has spoken candidly about turning 40 – a milestone she once thought she would never reach following a near-fatal acid attack in 2008

Loose Women star ‘never thought she’d make it to 40’ after devastating attack

Broadcaster and campaigner Katie Piper has described turning 40 as a milestone she never expected to reach, reflecting on the traumatic events that nearly claimed her life 17 years ago.

In an interview with The Times, the Loose Women panellist said she was surprised by the negative societal attitudes surrounding women ageing, particularly given the life-threatening ordeal she endured in her twenties.

“It was quite shocking for me, because turning 40 was only ever positive,” Piper said. “It was a celebration of my life and reaching a milestone I never thought I’d reach.”

Piper was 24 when she suffered life-changing injuries in an acid attack orchestrated by her ex-boyfriend, Daniel Lynch, in March 2008. Just two days after Lynch raped and stabbed her, he arranged for 19-year-old Stefan Sylvestre to throw sulphuric acid in her face.

Katie before her attack(Image: PA)

The attack left Piper with extensive burns and permanent damage, including the loss of her nose, part of her ear, her eyelids, and partial vision in one eye. She was treated at a specialist burns unit in London, where surgeons performed pioneering reconstructive procedures, including the UK’s first use of a skin substitute to rebuild her face.

Her injuries also required extensive surgery to her mouth and tongue. Despite the severity of her injuries, Piper has since gone on to build a successful career in broadcasting and advocacy.

In the years following the attack, she waived her right to anonymity and told her story in the Channel 4 documentary Katie: My Beautiful Face, which brought national attention to the issue of acid attacks.

In 2009, she founded The Katie Piper Foundation, which supports burns survivors through rehabilitation and care. In 2022, she was awarded an OBE for her services to charity and victims of burns and other disfigurements.

Katie was left with life-threatening injuries after the acid attack(Image: WireImage)

She joined the panel of ITV’s Loose Women in 2021 and previously competed in Strictly Come Dancing in 2018. Piper has also published a best-selling autobiography and continues to use her platform to raise awareness about visible difference and resilience.

While acknowledging that her public profile stemmed from the attack, Piper emphasised that she does not want her achievements to be defined by it.

“It’s not like I’m an actress or a pop star,” she said. “I came to public attention as a news story, as a victim of a violent crime. I hope, 17 years on, I’m doing something different, but I think it’s probably unfair of me to say, ‘I don’t want to talk about the burns and the attack anymore.’”

She added: “I think it’s more that I don’t want to attribute my success [since] to that man’s actions against me.”

Katie has had dozens of surgeries over the years(Image: Katie Piper Instagram)

Piper said her continued success should instead be credited to her own resilience and hard work. “If I’m seen on Loose Women laughing about something entirely different or presenting a totally different show, the public starts to accept visibly different people doing lots of different things. And that is when inclusion and acceptance happen,” she said.

Since her recovery, Piper has married carpenter Richard Sutton, with whom she shares two daughters, Belle, 11, and Penelope, 7. The couple had hoped to have a third child but had to reconsider after Piper underwent emergency eye surgery.

Reflecting on the early assumptions made about her future, Piper said she was once expected to live a limited life. “For a long time, it was assumed that I’d be dependent on [my] parents and have a mediocre existence,” she said. “I had to write the rule book for me.”

Daniel Lynch was convicted of rape, grievous bodily harm, and actual bodily harm, and was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 16 years. Sylvestre received a life sentence with a minimum of six years and was released in 2018 after serving nine years. Lynch is expected to appear before a parole board next month.

Piper continues to campaign for greater understanding and support for those living with visible differences and remains committed to using her platform to foster greater inclusivity and resilience in public life.

It emerged that the Prince and Princess of Wales have landed themselves a spot on a prestigious list of the world’s best philanthropists, but there was no sign of Prince Harry and Meghan. Now, one royal expert has explained why this might be the case

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle (Image: Getty Images)

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will have been disappointed to not take a prestigious honour that was handed to the Prince and Princess of Wales, according to an expert. It emerged that William and Kate have been included in the Time 100 Philanthropy 2025 list, but Harry and Meghan were not.

Kate and William were included in the magazine’s Innovators category for “modernising royal philanthropy” and praised for being “less concerned with cultural preservation and more attuned to social issues”. But it was a different story for Harry and Meghan who were snubbed from this year’s list, despite being included four years ago.

Harry and Meghan at the TIME100 summit last month (Image: Getty Images for TIME)

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who quit their royal roles in 2020 to pursue private ventures in the corporate world, previously secured a spot on Time’s roster of the most influential figures back in 2021, which included a cover feature on the prestigious publication.

However, the couple, who tout themselves as “shaping the future through business and philanthropy” on their website, did not make the cut this year. Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond said the Waleses thoroughly deserve their place on the list, but believes not getting a mention themselves would have come as a blow to the Sussexes.

She told the Mirror: “I’m sure Harry and Meghan will be disappointed that they haven’t made the list, especially as they have emphasised their focus on philanthropy on their website. I wish them well with the work they do, but now, firmly outside the royal family, they simply do not pack the same punch as the prince and princess.”

William and Kate on a recent visit to the Isle of Mull (Image: PA)

William and Kate’s honour comes as the couple begin rolling out an ambitious project to transform community spaces across the UK, using a mixture of grants and donating personal time from their Royal Foundation.

They have identified several locations around the country which will benefit from financial backing and the creation of new task forces which will benefit from expert advice and guidance from their team. The aim is to create a network of businesses to invest in local projects to upgrade local facilities from community hubs to sports centres, which will be announced in the coming months.

And Jennie added: “There’s no denying that William and Catherine carry a lot of clout in whatever field they choose to get involved. And they have each made a significant impact in trying to help solve crucial social issues.

“I think they will be pleased that their efforts have been recognised alongside the likes of David Beckham, Oprah Winfrey, and Melinda French Gates.

“The Prince and Princess have focused their energy on causes like early development, the environment, homelessness and mental health. These are issues that affect large sections of society.

“Their brand of royal patronage is less about elitist cultural preservation and more, as William himself has said, about ‘impact philanthropy, collaboration, convening, and helping people’.

“Time magazine cited William and Catherine as innovators for modernising royal philanthropy. It recognised that their strategy is to get corporate and expert support for the causes they are working to highlight. They want to be more than just figureheads: they want to bang heads together and get action going to help solve some of society’s many problems.”

All change for GMB, Lorraine, This Morning and Loose Women

TV Daytime has today (May 20) announced a huge change to its schedules. And Lorraine Kelly’s breakfast show has sensationally been cut to just a 30-minute broadcast.

It will also only run seasonally – for 30 weeks of the year. Loose Women will also run on a seasonal basis, for 30 weeks of the year.

Lorraine Kelly’s show will run for 30 minutes from the start of 2026 (Credit: ITV)

ITV Daytime announcement as huge cuts announced

The announcement was made today, 30 minutes after a meeting with ITV Daytime staff.

A press release announced: “ITV today announces changes to the scheduling and production of its award winning Daytime shows.

“From January 2026, Good Morning Britain will be extended by 30 minutes to run from 6am to 9.30am daily, and will transfer to be produced by ITV News at ITN at their base at Gray’s Inn Road in London.”

New studios for Lorraine, This Morning and Loose Women

It then added: “GMB will be made by a dedicated team within ITV News at ITN. This change will see ITV bring all its national news gathering into one hub, with Good Morning Britain benefitting from the journalistic and production resources already in place for national news bulletins, for the website and for digital platforms including ITVX.”

Moving forward, the statement continued: “Lorraine, This Morning and Loose Women will continue to be produced by ITV Studios and will be broadcast from a new location in central London. ITV Studios is consulting with its Daytime teams about a proposal that from 2026 would see the three editorially distinct shows produced by one team sharing resources and operations.”

This Morning will have a new home as it moves studios (Credit: ITV)

What the changes will fund

The statement then explained where the savings from the cost-cutting would be spent.

“The efficiencies gained from the changes in the production of these shows will be reinvested in other genres while ensuring viewers will continue to see all of the live, topical Daytime shows they know and love.

“The changes will fund 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.

“And will strengthen ITV’s ability to continue to attract the biggest commercial audiences both on linear channels and online through ITVX.”

Huge cuts to Lorraine

However, it’s bad news for Lorraine – who recently underwent surgery. Her hour-long show has been cut in half. As a result, Lorraine will air in a 30-minute slot from 9.30am till 10am, when This Morning starts.

Kevin Lygo, Managing Director of ITV’s Media and Entertainment Division, explained the changes. 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.”

In ITV’s 2026 Daytime schedule, Lorraine will run from 9.30am-10am. This will be on a seasonal basis for 30 weeks of the year. This aligns with the lead Daytime presenters. They host their shows around a seasonal pattern rather than throughout the year. During the weeks Lorraine is not on air, Good Morning Britain will run from 6am to 10am.

ITV Daytime series Loose Women will also face changes (Credit: ITV)

Loose Women to air on a seasonal basis, too

This Morning will remain in its 10am-12.30pm slot on weekdays throughout the year. Loose Women will be in the 12.30-1.30pm slot, again on a seasonal basis for 30 weeks of the year. This is the schedule it occupied for over a decade until 2016.

Kevin 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.”

GMB expansion explained

The expanded Good Morning Britain will continue its mix of news, interviews, debate and competitions. It’ll also allow for the inclusion of more regional news, more agenda-setting investigations and exclusives and more reporting on and analysis of the biggest stories of the day around the UK and the world.

Together with the 30-minute expansion of ITV’s early evening news in 2022, this means ITV will have provided a 20% increase in scheduled national and regional news each week day.

The change will form part of a renewed agreement between ITV and ITN, for ITN to produce national, international, London and digital news for ITV for the next five years, with options to extend.

‘I’m glad we cleared that up’

ITV daytime show This Morning had to be halted today so that the hosts could issue a “clarification”.

On today’s episode of This Morning, Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley spoke to Dr Zoe Williams about the day’s biggest health stories. But in doing so, they were forced to take a moment to clarify something they had previously said.

Cat and Ben paused for a clarification (Credit: ITV)

ITV show This Morning discuss latest news

This Morning frequently keeps viewers up to date on new trends. And even shows off purchases that may help viewers in their day-to-day lives. But it seems they made an error previously.

Today, Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard were in their usual spots on the sofa, talking about some of the biggest stories of the day, and also discussed Ben’s very own cover magazine.

A few weeks ago This Morning showcased the Daye HPV at-home screening kit which could check for certain strains of the virus. But when they advertised on the show, the price was said to be £277 – which was way off from the actual price.

While speaking to Dr Zoe, the presenters paused for an extended moment before Cat asked: “Er, and there is a clarification you wanted to talk about?”

Dr Zoe revealed the real price of the item (Credit: ITV)

This Morning clarification

Dr Zoe confirmed this. She said: “Yeah. I just want to mention a product that we featured on the show a couple of weeks ago. It’s the Daye HPV screen tampon which can be used as an at home screening test for some of the strains for the HPV virus.

“We just wanted to mention the cost of the item. We got that wrong last time. The price of the kit is actually £89. It is not £277 as we previously said.”

Ben appeared thankful that Dr Zoe had fixed that. He added: “That’s great. I’m glad we got that cleared up.”

The presenters and Dr Zoe quickly then moved on to other health news. They spoke about the worrying decline in heart health of the entire nation, along with the effects that endometriosis has on women.

The ITV show is no stranger to making headlines, with fans always noticing awkward blunders, or Cat’s courageous outfit choices!

The Clarkson’s Farm star will soon be a dad of three

This Morning hosts Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard welcomed Clarkson’s Farm star Kaleb Cooper to the show today, where he was congratulated on his recent baby news.

And, after addressing news of his replacement on Jeremy Clarkson’s farm, talk turned to Kaleb being “the most fertile man in Chipping Norton”.

Kaleb Cooper was congratulated on his baby news on This Morning today (Credit: ITV)

Clarkson’s Farm exit addressed

Earlier this month, a trailer for the new series of Clarkson’s Farm revealed Kaleb had been replaced by new farm hand Harriet.

However, keen to clear up rumours he’s leaving the show, Kaleb told Ben and Cat it was just a temporary measure while he headed off on his book tour.

However, Jeremy Clarkson may need to lean on Harriet again when Kaleb heads off on paternity leave. That’s because the star, 26, is preparing to become a dad for the third time.

This Morning hosts Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley welcomed Kaleb to the show (Credit: ITV)

Kaleb’s baby news

Speaking to Kaleb, This Morning host Ben Shephard halted his farm chat to ask about the upcoming new arrival.

“We are very excited because, of course, we understand there is another mini Cooper on the way. Your third child is coming soon?” he said.

Kaleb confirmed with a smile: “The third child is due in August, so I think I may be the most fertile man in Chipping Norton.”

Ben chuckled as Cat Deeley added: “You could teach those pigs [on the farm] a thing or two, Kaleb for sure.”

‘A very busy August’

Kaleb and his partner of eight years, Taya, announced they were expecting their third child earlier this year.

Posting on Instagram, he shared: “Very excited to announce that baby Cooper number 3 is cooking… Going to be a very, very busy August.”

He is already dad to son Oscar, three, and one-year-old daughter Willa

The star is claiming that producers forced him to dance with a fractured foot

Strictly Come Dancing is under fresh scrutiny after Wynne Evans reportedly launched legal action against tour producers for alleged medical negligence.

Wynne is best known as the face of the Go Compare adverts.

The 53-year-old Welsh tenor is said to have suffered a double fracture and two torn ligaments after a fall during the Strictly Live tour earlier this year.

However, insiders claim that instead of receiving proper medical attention, Wynne was bandaged up and told to carry on performing, despite being in “agony”.

The Strictly star is claiming that producers forced him to dance with a fractured foot (Credit: ITV)

Wynne Evans ‘suing’ Strictly Tour producers

“He was basically strapped up and told to keep smiling and carry on,” a source close to the singer told The Sun.

“The following night, he had to pull out of Glasgow, then the next day it all kicked off, just as his foot started to swell up.”

Wynne left the tour shortly after a video emerged of him making a lewd comment about Strictly co-stars Janette Manrara and Jamie Borthwick. After the scandal, Wynne issued an apology for his words.

He is now said to be suing Phil McIntyre Entertainments, the company responsible for the tour.

The claim includes personal injury and a lack of proper medical provision backstage. He is also requesting a reported £11,000 in unpaid performance fees.

“Wynne’s lawyers told him he had a legitimate injury claim. His physio costs are spiralling. He hasn’t been allowed to work during this time. So he’s decided to sue the production company, something that won’t be affecting taxpayers,” the source added.

Wynne left the Strictly Live Tour after making a lewd comment about his co-stars (Credit: Cover Images)

Strictly injuries

An MRI scan later confirmed the severity of the injury: a broken foot, a fractured ankle, and two snapped ligaments. Wynne is still reportedly struggling to walk without pain nearly four months on from the incident.

In addition to the legal action, Wynne was suspended from his BBC Radio Wales show after the Birmingham incident. The station has since seen a noticeable drop in listener figures. Many fans have linked the decline to his absence.

Meanwhile, Wynne’s case isn’t the first time a Strictly star has danced through injury.

Zara McDermott reportedly performed with a stress fracture. She underwent surgery for the injury.

Paralympian Will Bayley suffered “life-altering” injuries after a fall during rehearsals.

Wynne’s legal action comes at a turbulent time for the Strictly brand, as questions mount over duty of care and behind-the-scenes protocols during live performances.

ED! has contacted the BBC, Wynne’s solicitors and the Phil McIntyre Entertainment for comment.