JANET Street Porter has revealed which Loose Women panellists are safe amid ITV budget cuts.
In May, The Sun revealed that the daytime show will return in 2026 with a reduced run of just 30 episodes.
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Janet Street Porter has revealed which panellists are safe amid ITV budget cutsCredit: Shutterstock Editorial
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The Sun revealed that show will return in 2026 with a reduced run of just 30 episodesCredit: Shutterstock Editorial
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Janet said the ‘older’ panellists will be safe unlike younger newcomersCredit: Shutterstock Editorial
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.
Now long-term Loose Women panel member Janet, 78, has hinted that “older” members of the team are safe, but younger newcomers are likely to face the chop.
“There are no plans to get rid of the older women despite of what some people have said,” Janet insisted.
“In fact, the reserve is true.
“ITV actually put out a statement saying we are the valued members of the show because the audience totally relates to us.”
Janet, who joined the panel in 2011, continued to Bella Magazine: “I think Loose Women has become a programme that is trusted by a lot of women because we talk about the issues that they are concerned about – whether it’s female health, domestic violence, or how politicians don’t really understand working women.
“I think the show has managed to connect women who wouldn’t otherwise have a voice.
“And it’s delivered with a lot of laughs because we don’t take ourselves too seriously.”
Last month it was revealed that producers had decided to drop the live studio audience next year as part of a series of cost-cutting changes to its daytime programming.
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.
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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.”
An ITV source told The Sun: “While there is a proposal to not have a studio audience for Loose Women from 2026, that doesn’t necessarily mean that we’ll never have a studio audience again, it just won’t be in the same way as it is now.
“At this stage we are still exploring new ways of working and producing the show when we move to a new studio next year.”
Last month, Kaye Adams broke her silence on the chaos at Loose Women, admitting she’s had sleepless nights over the cuts.
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.
