Latest news with #EmmaGormley
Wales Online
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Inside ITV chaos as Lorraine faces shake-up and 220 jobs cut
Inside ITV chaos as Lorraine faces shake-up and 220 jobs cut Staff across the broadcaster's hit daytime shows were called to an emergency meeting on Tuesday Lorraine Kelly's show will see a drastic change from next year (Image: (Image: ITV) ) On Monday, the ITV daytime staff got wind that something was amiss. Managing editor of daytime, Emma Gormley, reportedly sent out an email commanding nearly 500 members to attend an urgent meeting the next day, with a note that attendance had to be in person and there would be no remote access. During the gathering at the TC1 studio, the set for popular broadcasts such as The Graham Norton Show, staff allegedly found little reassurance for their mounting concerns. According to Daily Mail sources, it soon became apparent that extensive layoffs were imminent; with reports suggesting around 220 jobs were on the line. The already tense staff weren't even afforded the chance to inquire about their career prospects at this abrupt assembly. Although, there's talks that ITV intends to host a further meeting where questions can be raised once management is aptly prepared to respond. A source told the Mail that significant changes are underway, with one team poised to manage the remnants of shows including Lorraine, Loose Women, and This Morning, reports the Mirror. "Things are going to be streamlined – and then some," an insider revealed. ""There is so much panic and so much worry. For such a long time ITV was seen as a safe place to work but, right now, there are very few people who are actually not going to be affected by the cut." Loose Women will only air for 30 weeks of the year from January 2026 (Image: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock ) Article continues below ITV's daytime line-up, which includes Loose Women, Good Morning Britain (GMB), This Morning, and Lorraine, is set for a significant shake-up. From next year, Good Morning Britain, presented by Richard Madeley and Susanna Reid, will be produced by ITN - ITV's news provider - with only 38 of the 113 staff on the early morning magazine show being retained. Lorraine, a staple on our screens for 16 years, has been hit hard by the cuts: instead of broadcasting 52 weeks of the year, it will only grace our TV screens for 30 weeks, and its duration has been halved from 60 minutes to just 30. GMB will extend its airtime during the weeks Lorraine is off air, running from 6 am to 10 am. Loose Woman is also reverting to a "seasonal" schedule of 30 weeks a year, a format it followed until 2016. While its airtime remains at its usual hour, it's reported that bosses are unhappy with the regular disagreements among the presenters and the ensuing controversies. The schedule of This Morning, presented by Alison Hammond, Cat Deeley, Dermot O'Leary, and Ben Shephard, will remain unchanged, airing between 10.30 and noon on weekdays. However, it could face job cuts if the proposal to merge daytime teams is approved. An insider told the Mail that Lorraine Kelly's frequent absences from her daytime show - which saw Christine Lampard and Ranvir Singh regularly stepping in - contributed to the proposed cuts. The source added that ITV bosses are "besotted" with GMB's Susanna Reid, who they "favour" over Lorraine. Insiders say Susanna is "favoured" over Lorraine by ITV bosses (Image: ITV ) The source claimed that executives had to continually arrange cover for Lorraine, with Christine and Ranvir fortunately available to step in when needed. The publication also reported that Lorraine may face a salary cut due to her reduced screen time. Sources told The Mirror that significant cuts to Lorraine's show have left staff worried that the BAFTA-winning presenter might resign. They described the new schedule as a "kick in the teeth", especially given the show's recent high ratings - the best in four years. "There are genuine fears among staff that Lorraine may decide to walk if the quality of the show they are putting out declines. It's hard to see how standards won't there are questions over whether Lorraine will want to be associated with that. Lorraine and her team are perfectionists - it's why the show is loved by so many," one source said. Article continues below One insider claimed: "This is a presenter who has just come back from having an operation, has won a BAFTA, is enjoying record then ITV show their appreciation by yanking her off air half the year. Staff are beside themselves, and have been in tears constantly. It doesn't make any sense given the trajectory the show is on." However, ITV has since denied the speculation about Lorraine's alleged departure, stating that it is "simply not true".
Daily Mirror
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Inside ITV's 'bloodbath' - 'favoured presenter over Lorraine and job cuts panic'
Sweeping cuts across daytime television at ITV, including Good Morning Britain, Lorraine, This Morning, and Loose Women, have been announced that will see an alleged 220 people lose their jobs, leaving staff 'devastated' On Monday, the nearly 500 members of staff across ITV's roster of beloved daytime shows realised that something was wrong. An email was allegedly sent out by the managing editor of daytime - Emma Gormley - ordering them to attend an emergency meeting the following day, and there was no option to join proceedings remotely. Instead, they were all expected to be there in person, with little notice. When they arrived at the TC1 studio for the meeting - where hit programs like the Graham Norton Show are filmed - little was reportedly done to relieve their growing anxieties. Instead, what they were met with was chaos, insiders told the Daily Mail, and they quickly realised after sweeping cuts were announced that they had walked into a "bloodbath" - with 220 of them reportedly set to lose their jobs. Stressed and worried staff weren't even given the opportunity at the emergency meeting to ask any questions about their professional future - though it is reported ITV is planning on running another meeting, providing the opportunity for staff to do so when management is properly briefed on the answers they can give. "There will be one team working across what's left of Lorraine and Loose Women as well as This Morning", a source told the Mail."Things are going to be streamlined – and then some." They added: ""There is so much panic and so much worry. For such a long time ITV was seen as a safe place to work but, right now, there are very few people who are actually not going to be affected by the cuts." ITV's roster of daytime shows including, Loose Women, Good Morning Britain (GMB), This Morning, and Lorraine are all set for a huge overhaul. Good Morning Britain, hosted by Richard Madeley and Susanna Reid, will, from next year, be produced by ITN - ITV's news provider - with only 38 of the 113 staff on the early morning magazine show being kept on. Lorraine, which has been on the air for 16 years, has seen some of the most devastating cuts: instead of airing 52 weeks of the year, it will only be on TV screens for 30 weeks, and it has had its running time slashed in half from 60 minutes to half an hour. GMB will have its runtime extended during the weeks Lorraine is not on air, going from 6 am to 10 am. Loose Woman is also being reduced to 30 weeks a year, back into a "seasonal" schedule that it used to occupy until 2016. Whilst its running time has not been cut, staying at its usual hour, bosses are reported to be displeased by the regular falling out amongst the presenters, and the controversies that come with them. The schedule of This Morning - hosted by Alison Hammond, Cat Deeley, Dermot O'Leary, and Ben Shephard - will remain the same, still on air between 10.30 and Noon on weekdays, but will still be subjected to job cuts if the proposal that the daytime teams merge goes ahead. A source speaking to the Mail explained that Lorraine Kelly's absences from hosting her daytime show - leaving Christine Lampard and Ranvir Singh to fill in for her hosting duties regularly - had played a part in the cuts, adding that the bosses at ITV are "besotted" with Susanna Reid of GMB, who they "favour" over Lorraine. They claim that bosses had to keep arranging cover for the presenter, with Christine and Ranvir luckily able to step in at the right moment. The outlet also reported that she'd be facing a salary cut amid her reduced screentime. Insiders revealed to The Mirror that the major cuts to Lorraine's show have left staff fearing that the BAFTA-winning presenter might quit altogether, and they called the new schedule a "kick in the teeth" after the recent ratings for the show had been the highest in the last four years. "There are genuine fears among staff that Lorraine may decide to walk if the quality of the show they are putting out declines. It's hard to see how standards won't fall….and there are questions over whether Lorraine will want to be associated with that. Lorraine and her team are perfectionists - it's why the show is loved by so many," said one source. Another added, "This is a presenter who has just come back from having an operation, has won a BAFTA, is enjoying record ratings….and then ITV show their appreciation by yanking her off air half the year. Staff are beside themselves, and have been in tears constantly. It doesn't make any sense given the trajectory the show is on.' However, the Mirror has since been told that the rumours swirling around Lorraine Kelly's suspected departure are "simply not true". Though insiders at ITV have explained there is a sense of "collective devastation" amongst the daytime staff at the prospect of nearly half of them losing their jobs, with one saying: "The devastation among the staff is palpable after the announcement. To say it blindsided them would be an understatement." With GMB being absorbed into ITN, they will move from White City Studios to Gray's Inn Road, where the rest of the news output is already produced, and one team will make both the magazine-style morning show and ITV News, something that is reported to have been dreamed up by the new director of news and current affairs for ITV - formerly the editor of ITV News - Andrew Dagnell. A source speaking to the Mail laid some of the blame for these massive job cuts - which aim to save £50 million, which will be reinvested into other departments, like sports and drama - at the door of previous scandals, which they say were badly handled. These include the departure of long-time This Morning host Philip Schofield after it emerged he had engaged in an affair with a younger male colleague, and the cancelling of the Jeremy Kyle Show back in 2019 after the death of Steve Dymond, who is believed to have killed himself only a week after appearing on the show. An insider told the Mirror that there had been rumours that major change was afoot, particularly when it came to GMB, but it was a total shock to the staff and crews that they would be this wide-ranging. "There had been whispers going round for some time over a merger between ITV News and Good Morning Britain, but no indication that the Daytime shows would be affected. "We still don't know how many people are going to lose their jobs, but rumours around 50% of the entire staff from GMB, Lorraine and This Morning will be affected which is staggering. All of the shows are produced by teams of super dedicated professionals, everyone is completely devastated," they said. The Mirror has approached ITV for comment. ITV insist that GMB moving under the ITN banner will provide it with extra resources and journalistic expertise and that the show will include more regional news, exclusive investigations and reporting on the day's news from 2026. Kevin Lygo, Managing Director of ITV's Media and Entertainment Division, has said about the major 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.'
Daily Mail
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Crisis widens at ITV as Good Morning Britain, Lorraine, This Morning and Loose Women staff hauled into meeting by top boss - as the network's daytime roster faces huge cuts
Staff on ITV 's biggest shows have been hauled in for a meeting at 2pm today, as Good Morning Britain, Lorraine, This Morning and Loose Women face huge cuts. The emergency meeting has been called by Emma Gormley, the managing director of Daytime at ITV Studios, amid the biggest changes to the daytime roster in the channel's history. She wrote to 'all employees who work in ITV Studios Daytime', which includes big names like Susanna Reid, Ed Balls, Lorraine Kelly and Alison Hammond, to announce the briefing. Sent on Monday evening it is said to have 'sent staff into a panic' when it landed in inboxes. Sources said that the biggest fears are for Lorraine, as staff fear they might even axe the show as viewing figures have dwindled and Lorraine herself has faced criticism for her absences from the show. ITV bosses, including Gormley and head of ITV News output Andrew Dagnell, were locked in a meeting on Tuesday morning hammering out how to deliver the news of the cuts. The source added: 'Whatever the level of cuts are, they are likely to be large.' The meeting will take place at 2pm on Tuesday at the Television Centre's 600-seater theatre. She said: 'I'm going to be sending you an invite for a briefing happening tomorrow, which i's important you make every effort to attend.' In efforts to stop leaks from the briefing, there was no option to join the announcement digitally. Gormley wrote: 'I am sorry there's won't be the option to join virtually and we won't be recording the briefing, so we'd encourage you to please attend in person.' For those who can't attend, the top television executive said that 'someone from the Daytime leadership team will call you following the meeting to brief you.' It comes as Good Morning Britain is facing the biggest overhaul in its 11-year history as bosses try to cut costs. And the plans for a revamp have given rise to fears of a 'mutiny' behind the scenes, with job losses looking likely for off-camera staff. Executives want to retain much of the show's 'familiar feel', but they also hope the overhaul could narrow the gap with BBC Breakfast – which has led the ratings war between the pair. Around 400,000 viewers separate the two titans, with GMB now pulling in 700,000 at most and its BBC competitor regularly seeing more than a million tuning in. The revamp at ITV will see the breakfast show merged with the network's news operation, produced by ITN, alongside additional changes which are yet to be decided. One option could include moving to a new studio – sparking alarm among staff behind the scenes – and another involves plans to make the show more like BBC Breakfast. The shift to work with ITV News staff has prompted insiders to believe GMB will have a 'slightly more serious' approach than the current topical magazine format. These plans come a few months after ITV announced a new director of news and current affairs, Andrew Dagnell, who previously oversaw its network news output as editor of ITV News. Union chiefs representing those working on the show have expressed 'concern' in internal memos, but insiders say the well-regarded new appointment is a big fan of its existing stars and unlikely to wield the axe. A TV source said: 'Obviously any talk of major change starts panic – lots of the staff were immediately worried about the security of their jobs. 'This is about streamlining ITV's news output across the whole day, and having separate teams doubling up just doesn't make sense. 'So it may well be that some correspondents end up appearing across the whole day's schedule, rather than being specifically attached to GMB or ITV News. 'There could be a new set and a new feel, and a more continuous feel to ITV's news bulletins throughout the whole day as a result. 'But people are very much likely to lose their jobs so there is a lot of upset, anger and in some cases, mutiny.' Since Piers Morgan's dramatic departure from the show in 2021, original presenter Susanna Reid has been joined by a merry-go-round of co-stars. These have including Richard Madeley and former Labour politician Ed Balls – but none have proven to have the same drawing power as Morgan.
