Former Loose Women star, Sherrie Hewson has hit out at ITV bosses for axing weeks of the popular daytime show, branding the decision ‘cruel.’

From January, the programme will only air for 30 weeks of the year instead of running all year round, as part of sweeping budget cuts.

Sherrie, 74, who now stars in Hollyoaks, warned that the move would leave many older and vulnerable viewers without the ‘lifeline’ the lunchtime panel show provides.

The actress, who volunteers in care homes, says she has seen firsthand how much the show means to dementia patients.

Watching Loose Women, she explained, can feel like being part of a conversation and, for some, even provide a reason to live.

She told The Sun on Sunday: ‘Women of all ages, those up to 95 down to younger women at home with young children, it’s like therapy to them.

+5
View gallery

Former Loose Women star, Sherrie Hewson has hit out at ITV bosses for axing weeks of the popular daytime show, branding the decision ‘cruel’

+5
View gallery

From January, the programme will only air for 30 weeks of the year instead of running all year round, as part of sweeping budget cuts (pictured Christine Lampard, Coleen Nolan, Sherrie Hewson, Andrea McLean, Janet Street-Porter, Brenda Edwards in November 2024)

‘It feels cruel and sad that they’ve decided to cut the episodes on Loose Women which is a show that can bring anger and emotions.’

Sherrie also criticised ITV for slashing shows aimed at older audiences, pointing out that viewers over 55 watch more TV than any other age group, but are the ones most ignored by broadcasters.

She said: ‘We all need that where we can all shout at the TV. Some people are lonely and it is a lifeline for them, the only discussion they may actually be part of during the day.’

Despite leaving the show in 2016 after four years, Sherrie insisted she still feels passionately about its importance.

She added that it is shows like Loose Women which help the older generation feel like they are interacting.

The Daily Mail has contacted ITV for comment.

It was announced earlier in the year that the show would no longer be running for 52 weeks of the year and instead be on screen for just 30 in a bid to cut costs.

Changing viewing habits, including an increased reliance on streaming services, have forced ITV to make some difficult decisions in a bid to remain profitable and keep some of the UK’s most beloved shows on air.

The actress, who volunteers in care homes, says she has seen firsthand how much the show means to dementia patients and watching Loose Women can feel like being part of a conversation and, for some, even provide a reason to live

+5
View gallery

 The actress, 74, who now stars in Hollyoaks , warned that the move would leave many older and vulnerable viewers without the ‘lifeline’ the lunchtime panel provides

+5
View gallery

Other shows that have been affected by cuts at the broadcaster include Good Morning Britain and Lorraine

Other shows that have been affected by cuts at the broadcaster include Good Morning Britain and Lorraine.

Good Morning Britain will now run for an extra half an hour to reduce Lorraine’s slot from one hour to 30 minutes.

Like Loose Women, Lorraine will now air for just 30 weeks a year, and when it is not on, it will be replaced by an even longer edition of Good Morning Britain, which will run from 6am to 10am.

Kevin Lygo, Managing Director of ITV’s Media and Entertainment Division, stressed that ‘daytime is a really important part of what we do.’

The Managing Director continued: ‘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 as 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.’

The news comes after the Loose Women panelists are said to be facing a tight squeeze in a new ‘broom cupboard’ studio following recent cuts.

According to insiders, once ITV’s budget cuts come into effect in January, Loose Women will no longer have A-list guests in the studio, and the broadcast has planned to only consist of the panel debating newsworthy topics from the week.

There is also thought to be a move to London’s Celebro from White City.

An ITV source told Daily Mail: ‘We have always said that when the changes to our daytime schedule take place in 2026 that Lorraine, This Morning and Loose Women will broadcast from a new central London location.

‘The new studio is not yet confirmed and when it is we will obviously communicate that news to our staff first’

Show bosses are also said to be keen on nurturing new host Olivia Attwood, who has 250 million viewers across her streams.

But the rotational panel is also expected to remain, with ITV claiming it has no desire to freshen it with new faces.