EXCLUSIVE ITV staff anger as 'tone deaf' bosses throw extravagant 70th anniversary party amid job cuts

Daily Mail​

3 hours ago

ITV bosses have angered staff by throwing an extravagant anniversary party despite announcing major budget cuts and job losses.
The broadcaster sent out a companywide invitation this month explaining the bash will be in honour of their 70th birthday after the channel was set up in 1955.
'Celebrate our 70th in style', the invitation reads, 'enjoy delicious food and drinks, Instagram worthy photo opportunities and DJs' as future guests were informed of the one night only event set to take place at a west London location.
But ITV staff, who have been told the dress code is 'platinum', feel bosses throwing a party amid hundreds of redundancies is 'tone deaf' and they would rather the expense be used to salvage someone's position.
A source told MailOnline that 'no one feels like celebrating right now' after ITV announced Lorraine and Loose Women will be halving the number of jobs and significantly reducing the time they are on air.
Panel show Loose Women confirmed they have axed their live studio audience from next year, which presenter Nadia Sawalha said was a 'devastating' change.
A TV source explained: 'The feeling among staff is that the channel throwing a party is in really bad taste given hundreds of people are losing their jobs.
'The event will no doubt cost a large amount of money, and many believe that bosses should put those funds towards tying to limit redundancies.
'Many feel the tone is completely off, no one at ITV daytime, which is the biggest part of the business, feels like celebrating right now.
'The company has also made widespread cuts and redundancies across Emmerdale and Coronation Street as well as production labels Lifted, who make Love Island, and Multistory. No one feels throwing a big party right now is appropriate.'
As well as the London party, studios in Manchester and Leeds have also been invited to a bash for the 70th anniversary, which ITV bosses feel is an unmissable milestone.
A spokesperson for ITV said: 'As ITV marks its 70th anniversary this September we are holding staff events in London, Manchester and Leeds to which all staff at ITV have been invited.
'We're taking this opportunity to thank everyone for their efforts and commitment in continuing to produce award-winning, impactful and entertaining programmes.
'We are of course mindful of the impact the proposed changes to our Daytime productions in 2026 will have on some of our staff and we are working hard to support them.'
ITV Studios confirmed last month they are slashing the budgets of its biggest daytime shows including Good Morning Britain, Lorraine, This Morning and Loose Women, meaning more than 220 of 440 staff involved will lose their jobs.
This Morning, presented by Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard, will remain the same length while Good Morning Britain is being extended by 30 minutes and for the 22 weeks of the year that Lorraine is not airing, GMB plans to run an extra half hour.
MailOnline revealed how Lorraine was given the option to present the last 30 minutes of Good Morning Britain, but she refused the 'insulting' offer and insiders believe her show will only run for another year.
Meanwhile, GMB anchor Susanna Reid is reportedly negotiating a longer-term contract to become the 'face of the network.'
Loose Woman Nadia has expressed her distress over the looming redundancies, saying she is particularly upset by the fact the show will no longer welcome a studio audience, which means her friend, warmup artist Lee Peart is also losing his job.
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.