Good Morning Britain star axed as brutal ITV budget cuts continue
A familiar face from Good Morning Britain has been dropped amidst a wave of redundancies sweeping through ITV.
US correspondent Noel Phillips is set to leave the breakfast show as part of ITV's cost-cutting measure s, which aim to slash an additional £15 million from its budget.
Back in May, ITV unveiled plans to cut ties with nearly half of the 450 staff working on programmes like Good Morning Britain, Lorraine, This Morning, and Loose Women.
While discussions about Phillips' position are still underway, it's anticipated that he will be among those departing.
The journalist joined Good Morning Britain in February 2021 after his stint at Sky News.
His expected exit has raised alarm bells over diversity within the show, as reported by Deadline. There have been whispers of uncertainty surrounding the futures of Sean Fletcher and Marverine Cole, but ITV has since assured that both will stay on air.
Phillips, who won a Royal Television Society award, has played a pivotal role in covering racial tensions both in the US and the UK for the programme. He shared a harrowing personal experience of being "mugged, racially assaulted and spat on" during a racial attack in Central London, reports the Express.
Phillips' reporting has often placed him in the thick of the action; he was on the ground in Minneapolis amid protests following Daunte Wright's tragic death, where he found himself near live gunfire. As recently as last month, Phillips faced rubber bullets while covering riots in Los Angeles.
Sources have revealed that GMB staff are "p****d off" over Phillips' departure, with another suggesting there's "less pressure [on ITV] to be seen to be doing the right thing" regarding diversity.
An ITV spokesperson disclosed to Deadline: "In 2026, Good Morning Britain will continue to have the familiar line-up of presenters that we know viewers love. ITV is fully committed to our diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy, and the representation on our shows will remain a priority."
The network has unveiled plans for a major overhaul of their daytime TV offerings starting in 2026.
Come the new year, Lorraine Kelly will bid farewell to her hour-long programme as it shifts to a 9.30am to 10am slot, airing only 30 weeks per annum.
During Lorraine's downtime, Good Morning Britain will fill the gap by extending its broadcast until 10am, tacking on an additional hour.
The revamp also sees GMB's usual 6am to 9am timeslot permanently stretched to 9.30am, with production moving from ITV Studios to ITN following a fresh five-year deal.
While This Morning retains its 10.30am to 12.30pm slot, Loose Women faces a cutback, set to air just 30 weeks each year in a seasonal format.
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