ITV Daytime Shows Cut, Audience Dropped for Savings

ITV is making major changes to its daytime lineup, with Loose Women set to lose its live studio audience from 2026, prompting the departure of warm-up act Lee Peart and upsetting presenters such as Nadia Sawalha. The show will now air only 30 weeks per year, and these changes are part of broader cost-cutting measures that will also halve Lorraine's airtime and result in over 220 job losses across ITV Daytime productions. Recently, Loose Women, The Chase, and Tipping Point were temporarily canceled for a week to allow for extended coverage of the Royal Ascot horse racing festival. The removal of the live audience, seen as a costly element, has raised concerns among presenters about the show's atmosphere. ITV management has acknowledged the impact of these changes and promised support for affected staff. Viewers and cast members alike have expressed frustration over the disruptions and reductions to established programming.