Latest news with #ITVChannel
The Sun
a day ago
- Business
- The Sun
Loose Women ‘axing huge part of show' amid ITV budget cuts
LOOSE Women bosses are reportedly axing a huge part of the show amid ITV budget cuts. Producers have decided to drop the live studio audience next year as part of a series of cost-cutting changes to its daytime programming. 3 The show will return in 2026 with a reduced run of just 30 episodes - and without the 100-capacity crowd. It follows broader budget reductions across the channel, which also include halving Lorraine's airtime to 30 minutes and airing it only during school term times. Producers' decision to drop the audience is understood to be a cost-saving measure, as it is managed by an external company that provides security and a warm-up act. However, the change has prompted concern among production staff and presenters, including Ruth Langsford, Kaye Adams, Nadia Sawalha and Charlene White, who rely on audience reactions to shape the tone of the live discussions. A source told MailOnline: "The panelists are really upset over the decision to axe the live studio audience from the show. "It's what sets the series apart from the rest of ITV daytime and now there are massive fears that viewers will switch off completely. "The only concern now is to cut costs and having a live studio audience can be expensive, with the added need for security and a warmup artist. "Presenters already know how it feels to broadcast the show without an audience because that's what happened during the pandemic, and they all know it creates low mood and lack of atmosphere." The Sun has contacted ITV for comment. Just this week, Kaye Adams broke her silence on the chaos at Loose Women, admitting she's had sleepless nights over the cuts. Nadia Sawalha in tears as she breaks silence on chaos at Loose Women offices after 'hundreds' of shock redundancies Speaking on her podcast, How To Be 60, Kaye said she felt as though 'the rug had been pulled' from underneath her. The 62-year-old confessed: 'It did come out of the blue. "I didn't anticipate it, which is probably stupid in retrospect. You get into a sort of rhythm of life. "I had a couple of sleepless nights I have to say, because it's just like the rug's been pulled from under your feet – what has been familiar.' Kaye, who is one of Loose Women's main anchors, said: 'It's going to have an impact. Lots of people will lose their jobs completely which is terrible. It's a huge change. 'But I gave myself a talking to and I listened to my own advice for once – change is hard, but it can be good. 'The past is a trap, don't fear the future – I'm telling myself all these things. And maybe this is the nudge that I needed to make some changes in my life and I'll just have to go with it.' It has been rumoured that the pool of Loose Women panellists will be reduced as part of the cutbacks, which will be introduced from January. So far none of the hosts know if their livelihoods are at stake. It is not yet known whether younger panellists, such as former Love Island contestant Olivia Attwood, 34, and influencer GK Barry, 25, will be favoured over veteran stars including Janet Street-Porter, 78, and Jane Moore, 63. ITV's daytime TV schedule changes in full Good Morning Britain will be extended by 30 minutes to run from 6am to 9.30am daily. Lorraine will run from 9.30am-10am, on a seasonal basis for 30 weeks of the year. During the weeks Lorraine is not on air, Good Morning Britain will run from 6am to 10am. 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. The changes will take effect from January 2026. Kaye who joined the Loose Women panel from its first series in 1999, said: 'It's well documented of course. They're having to make cuts and it will affect Loose Women and to be perfectly honest we have no idea at this point what is going to happen.' The popular presenter revealed that she has been planning to downsize from the family home she shares in Glasgow with her husband, tennis coach Ian Campbell, since their two daughters Charly, 22 and Bonnie, 18, moved out. She said the Loose Women changes might give her the opportunity to concentrate on the move. Kaye told co-host Karen McKenzie: 'I've been going on and on I'm going to downsize and make changes to my house. 'Maybe it's going to give me a bit of time to focus on that and really spend some time on it. 'Funnily enough, I agreed ages ago to do this programme where they get people like me who are ready to get rid of big bits of furniture and downsize and they take them to an auction house and they sell them off and they film it. 'They asked me to earmark bits of furniture and different things that I was prepared to get rid of and so I agreed at the time, because I thought this is going to give me the impetus to really get going on the down-sizing.' Kaye joked that she hadn't yet told her husband. 'They're coming with a truck and I haven't told Ian. For the last week I keep going to start the conversation with him – 'by the way, there's a film crew coming and I've told them that they can have that sideboard, that chair, that desk.' I haven't told him yet! 'But if I didn't tell him and he came back tomorrow night, he wouldn't notice. He might if the sofa was gone or the television, but that's about it!' 3 3
ITV News
15-05-2025
- Climate
- ITV News
Warmer temperatures and the chance to spot shooting stars: ITV Channel's May Weather Watch
The sun is getting stronger, our nights shorter and our days warmer - May has arrived! Although we are still in spring, in many of our minds May has come to be associated with the start of summer. But will the weather reflect this sunny outlook? Read on for the answer to all of your meteorological musings. Did you know May tends to be drier and sunnier than August? Across Britain, 'May Day' celebrations take place on the first of the month. The festival dates back hundreds of years and is celebrated halfway between the spring equinox and the summer solstice. It is true that May can deliver us the first few days of 'beach weather' - southerly or easterly winds can carry warmer air our way and see the mercury climb up to mid-20s, which is exactly what happened at the beginning of this month. However, our average maximum daily temperature in May is more moderate, hovering around 17°C. While our sea temperature is still on the chilly side, at around 12°C, it is rapidly warming - increasing by about 0.5°C a week. We tend to experience more periods of high pressure in May than any other month, which brings us long spells of fine and settled weather. May is therefore one of our drier months, seeing less rain on average (53.6mm) than August (62.0mm). Sunshine is also in strong supply. On average, we experience 8.3 sunshine hours a day in May, again higher than August which sits at 8.0 hours - although this is partly due to the longer days we experience in May. By the end of the month we will have the sun will rise just after 5am and not set until after 9pm - giving us 16 hours of daylight. It is important to be mindful of high UV levels in May, with the power of the sun increasing as we approach the longest day of the year. May Factfile Average daily temperatures 13.7°C in Jersey 12.3°C in Guernsey Average daily sunshine hours 8.3 in Jersey 7.7 in Guernsey Average monthly rainfall 53.6mm in Jersey 49.0mm in Guernsey Liberation Day This Liberation Day marks 80 years since the Channel Islands were freed from German Occupation during World War Two - but what was our weather doing on that historic day, 9 May 1945? Well, it was cloudy in the morning with the sun coming out later in the day - rather fittingly, the weather brightened to match the mood. Temperatures were above average, reaching a maximum of 17.3°C with light winds. Watch ITV Channel's special Liberation 80 programme, broadcast on 9 May 2025 Wildlife Watch It is a good month to look out for rare birds like bee-eaters and turtle doves. In terms of breeding birds, chicks are often hatched by now and are just starting to leave their nests. If you have a nestbox, keep an eye out for great tits. These birds usually lay seven to nine eggs in April or May, with the baby birds hatching around two weeks later. Meanwhile, our islands' puffins will have laid their eggs by now and be incubating them. The birds lay only a single egg, usually in late April or early May. The chick will hatch about six weeks later and the parents share feeding duties until their baby is ready to fledge and leave the nest. In terms of plant life, thrift is common around our islands' coastlines. This plant produces carpets of distinctive pink flowers in late May. Gorse is another distinctive sight along our shores. It flowers all year round but peaks from April to May. May night skies The Eta Aquarid meteor shower is set to light up our night skies this month. It peaks on 5 May but is visible until the end of the month. Up to 40 meteors per hour can be visible at the height of activity. You will have the best chance of spotting shooting stars if you head outside on a clear night, between midnight and dawn, and avoid light pollution. Towards the end of the month, you may be able to catch a glimpse of rare noctilucent clouds very high up that appear as wisps with a blue or silvery glow. You can see them in the sky on clear nights from the end of May through to August. This is because during these months, the sun only just sets below the horizon at night time - meaning the very high noctilucent clouds are illuminated by the sun from below while the sky is in darkness. This year's May full moon fell on the 12th of the month. It is known as a flower moon, originating from the fact that wildflowers are blooming and in splendour at this time of year. It was also a micromoon, appearing a little smaller and dimmer than usual. This occurs because the moon is at its furthest point from Earth, so it looks about 14% smaller and 30% less bright than a supermoon. Dates for the diary May 9 - Liberation Day for Jersey and Guernsey 10 May - Liberation Day for Sark 12 May - Candidate nominations open for Guernsey's election 12 May - May's full flower moon 16 May - Liberation Day for Alderney
ITV News
09-05-2025
- General
- ITV News
Jersey's Bailiff reflects on his father's wartime memories and the day he liberated our island
Sir Timothy Le Cocq sits down with ITV Channel's Sophie Dulson to reccount his father's role in the Royal Navy during WW2 and the day he liberated his home.
ITV News
07-05-2025
- ITV News
Jersey cyber security experts warns islanders to protect themselves against deepfake video scams
ITV Channel reporter Emma Volney reflects on the rise in AI scams and asks an expert how to spot them A cyber security expert in Jersey is urging members of the public to act "logically, rather than emotionally" when using social media in order to protect themselves against online scammers. It comes as a deepfake video recently circulated on social media appears to show Jersey's Chief Minister Lyndon Farnham in conversation with ITV Channel's Emma Volney, discussing a new "government-backed investment programme". Generated using artificial intelligence (AI), the deepfake video claims to offer islanders £800 per week if they sign up to the new 'government scheme' and invest £200. The fake voice of 'Lyndon Farnham' states, "This has nothing to do with FOREX trading, pyramid schemes, and other nonsense found everywhere" in an attempt to reassure viewers of the scheme's legitimacy. The voice adds that if investors do not earn £800 within a week, "I am willing to give you your money back out of my own pocket". It also urges viewers to act quickly, warning that if they close the web tab, "their link will expire and so will their chance to profit" because "it's impossible to give everyone access to this financial platform and have everyone become millionaires". However, this video is completely false and was generated by scammers to encourage people to hand over their money and sensitive information. Deepfake videos take pre-existing footage, audio, and pictures to create new content depicting events that never happened. Relying on AI tools such as facial recognition and machine learning software, they are often very difficult to identify as false. Matt Palmer, director of Jersey's Cyber Security Centre, says this type of scam is likely to become more commonplace as technology advances. "It's quite scary the way that people can pull these together in a way that you could very easily assume is real," he says. "I think the reality is we are going to see more and more of these with the advancement of artificial intelligence tools. "They're great for us as resources - but also good for organised crime, hackers, and people who'd like to do us harm." However, Mr Palmer believes the "telltale signs of a scam" have not changed and islanders are still able to take simple steps to protect themselves. How can I identify a deepfake? Video quality: Is the video high-quality? Is there a degree of 'jitteriness' that is unexpected? Mr Palmer says this will "get harder to spot" as technology advances but at the moment, AI-generated content tends to be of a lower quality. Mannerisms & tone of voice: Is the person in the video acting as you'd expect them to? Is the language they're using typical? Have you seen them speak or act that way before? Mr Palmer says the "ideal target for a scammer is somebody who generates an emotional response, because that will get people to respond more quickly"; hence why trusted community figures such as Lyndon Farnham or Emma Volney are being used. He adds that if this person is acting or speaking in a way that feels unfamiliar, it could be a sign the video is not real. "If you watch the video, you will see they're saying 'you must act now' and 'you must fill your details in on this website or you will lose this opportunity'", Mr Palmer says. He adds: "In a normal transaction you know if you walk away and come back, that's completely normal. "If people are asking us not to, it's because they're trying to short-circuit those thought processes and instead ask us to act emotionally: so don't act emotionally, think it all through." Logic & reason: Does the video use understandable language? Do you understand what it is selling you? Are the offers made reasonable and realistic? "I think most islanders wouldn't claim to be experts in areas like cryptocurrency", he says, "so if you don't understand what you're investing in - don't invest". "Ask a friend or call an expert to ask 'is this real' before proceeding", he says. "Rather like walking in the street in an unknown town, treat the online world like something you need to be cautious of - and don't trust people unless you know who they are and what they're selling." Deputy Farnham describes the deepfake video as "absolutely appalling". "I'm deeply disappointed that criminals will resort to this kind of action to extort money from people," he says. "I fear we could well see more of this as the technology improves and it becomes easier for criminals to do - it's extremely important we remain careful and cautious in our online activities." Deputy Farnham adds that if islanders have any concerns, they should contact the Jersey Cyber Security Centre (JCSC) and if they fall victim to any scams, they should immediately contact the police. The fake video has been reported to both the JCSC and the States of Jersey Police.
ITV News
29-04-2025
- Politics
- ITV News
Follow the issues that matter through the Guernsey Votes election podcast
Want the inside track on the issues that will shape Guernsey's Election this June? Listen to Guernsey Votes, an ITV Channel podcast packed with expert guests, local insight and analysis you can trust... When I first arrived in Guernsey just shy of ten months ago, I was instantly struck by the unique little quirks this island has. Think filter in turns, hedge veg, blue postboxes and of course, the ever familiar pleasantry - 'cheerie!' It's fair to say I quickly realised politics was certainly amongst that list of quirks, albeit in a slightly less charming way, and for a political animal like myself, I couldn't wait to work out why! It's partly to do with the political system itself (which I'll come onto!), but also the unique challenges and issues on this small yet beautiful rock in the middle of the English Channel. Questions that dominate discussion tend to revolve around reducing the huge price of getting on and off our islands, building more housing and lowering costs, improving accessibility for people who may have a disability, filling the huge skills gap in a lot of our key industries and how the island finds the money to fund itself. These help guide the mantras of politicians throughout political terms but with a range of candidates standing in the upcoming election, there's a risk of an information overload for the general public. Key election dates: Guernsey's political process has undergone a lot of change over the years, especially around how elections work. The introduction of an 'island-wide' system at the last election has led to outsiders describing it as the 'strangest' election in the world. That might be to do with the fact that each voter has up to 38 votes to cast. Yes, 38! As a journalist covering the UK General Election last year, when many found it hard to place their confidence in just one candidate, the prospect of marking your ballot that many times is unfathomable and for many can be laborious and extremely difficult. In their bid to win votes, each candidate puts together two pages worth of a manifesto, which is assembled together in a booklet distributed to each household ahead of the poll. At the last election in 2020, the booklet was 222 pages long! The 38 candidates with the most votes are elected to the States and as the margin between all candidates is likely to be comparatively narrow, you can understand why there were recounts last time around. It's then a waiting game for the public as the elected politicians decide amongst themselves who will take the top jobs. Martin Search has been a businessman in Guernsey for more than 50 years and wants Amazon to be charged for what it delivers to the island. Listen to the full interview on the first episode of Guernsey Votes, an election podcast by ITV News, as we discuss tax and the economy It became clear going into this election cycle, there was a need for a deep, analytical dive into the crucial political issues that affect the island now and going forward. We hope our podcast, 'Guernsey Votes', gets to the crux of these issues and helps voters to stay informed alongside lighter moments. We will be speaking to islanders, none of whom are candidates, about why these issues affect them and what they want to see out of their politicians in the next political term. We've got experts in their field such as business people, those who have worked in the education system, younger voters and even a former deputy. But given the short time I've been on the island, coupled with my limited background knowledge, I hope to go on the journey with you, learning more about the issues that matter. You can listen to episodes as they are published at the top of this article or wherever you get your podcasts - there is a link to many of those popular platforms here.
