BREAKINGNew Loose Women presenter revealed after Nadia Sawalha and Denise Welch leave.
Loose Women Lines Up Two New Stars After Nadia Sawalha and Denise Welch Exit ITV Panel
Loose Women is reportedly preparing a significant shake-up after the departures of Nadia Sawalha and Denise Welch, with two well-known names now being lined up to join the ITV panel.
Singer Anastacia and entrepreneur Emma Grede are said to have been offered short-term contracts as the daytime show looks to refresh its rotating lineup of contributors.
The potential additions come after a turbulent period for the programme, which has lost two of its longest-serving personalities in quick succession.
Nadia recently told The Mirror that she had threatened legal action and claimed ITV had bullied her out of her job.
She also said she feared she had been targeted because of her outspoken support for Palestinian rights and admitted she was concerned about the impact the dispute could have on her future television career.
“I accept that there is a huge risk I will never work in television again,” she said.
ITV has not been quoted in the supplied report responding to those claims.
Denise Welch Leaves After Nearly 25 Years
Just days later, Denise announced that she too was leaving Loose Women.
Unlike Nadia, Denise said her departure was driven by a desire to concentrate on acting, which she described as her “first love”.
“I’m leaving Loose Women after the best part of 25 years, off and on,” she told followers.
Denise noted that she had previously spent around seven years away from the show before returning in 2018.
“This show has been part of mine, and my family’s life, for nearly a quarter of a century,” she said.
She added that she had “wonderful, wonderful memories” of the programme but felt the time was right to focus on acting.
Her exit left another gap in the panel, increasing speculation that ITV would look to bring in new personalities.
Anastacia and Emma Grede Reportedly Offered Deals
According to The Sun, both Anastacia and Grede have now been approached to become regular panellists.
The pair are said to have been offered two-month contracts.
Anastacia is best known for major hits including Left Outside Alone and I’m Outta Love and has already appeared on the programme as a guest.
Grede is also familiar to television audiences through her appearances on Dragons’ Den.
She has strong business credentials and close links to the Kardashian family, having become a founding partner of Kim Kardashian’s SKIMS and helping to co-found Khloé Kardashian’s Good American.
A source claimed the show had endured a difficult year.
“If we are honest, Loose Women has become a bit of a train wreck,” the insider said.
“The past 12 months have seen scandal after scandal. Mix that with the cuts and it’s been a perfect storm.”
The source added that ITV had offered both women contracts and believed each could bring something different to the show.
ITV Hoping to Reach New Viewers
Grede is reportedly being considered partly because of her appeal to a younger audience.
“Emma was a huge hit on Dragons’ Den and it’s hoped she would bring in a younger demographic to the show,” the source claimed.
Anastacia, meanwhile, is seen as someone who could bring a more outspoken entertainment perspective.
“Anastacia is a household name and brings in a new perspective and isn’t shy when it comes to speaking her mind,” the insider added.
Both women already know the programme after appearing as guests, which could make the transition into panellist roles easier.
The Mirror said it had contacted ITV for comment.
For now, neither Anastacia nor Grede has publicly confirmed that they have accepted the reported offers.
But after the exits of Nadia and Denise, the possible arrival of two very different personalities suggests Loose Women may be entering one of its biggest periods of change in years.
