Linda Robson Opens Up About Loose Women’s Future Amid ITV Shake-Up

Linda Robson has spoken out about the future of ITV’s Loose Women, as rumours swirl about the show being axed. The 67-year-old panellist revealed she’s staying hopeful despite recent changes that could drastically alter the show.

Back in May, news broke that Loose Women would be on hiatus for six months due to budget cuts, as ITV looks to reduce costs across several program. These changes will kick in from January, and with them will come significant shifts for the show.

Not only will the celebrity guests be cut, but the live audience will also be a thing of the past. The cuts have led to concerns that Loose Women could be cancelled altogether within the year.

Linda has shared her thoughts on the situation, telling the Mirror that she’s trying to stay positive, but it’s hard not to worry about the changes. “I think it’d be very sad if it got cancelled because of all the people that are watching at home, especially like older people and that were sitting down, looking forward to watching it every day,” she said.

Reflecting on the major shake-up, Linda expressed hope that things might improve in the new year. She said, “A lot of them have been doing it for 25 years now, so, but hopefully, maybe, like in the new year, they’ll be able to get the audience back and carry on as normal.”

Loose Women isn’t the only ITV show facing major adjustments. Along with cuts to Loose Women, ITV is also scaling back on Good Morning Britain, Lorraine, and This Morning. Staff numbers will be halved, and the hours of several programmes will be significantly reduced.

These drastic cuts are part of a larger restructuring plan at ITV Studios, which produces all four shows. It’s estimated that more than 220 of the 440 staff working on these programmes could face redundancy. Linda, like many of her colleagues, has expressed her sadness over the job losses.

“It’s a shame people are losing their jobs. We’re all like a family. We’ve been together through births, marriages, deaths. It’s been very hard. Everyone’s worried about the show. We’re just trying to stay positive and hope for the best. But hopefully it’s not going to be as bad as it already is,” she said, reported the Daily Record.

Linda’s co-star, Nadia Sawalha, has also opened up about the impact of these changes, explaining the uncertainty that comes with being a self-employed presenter. “What people don’t realise at Loose Women is that we’re self-employed. I am self-employed. Every contract is a new contract. I could be let go tomorrow. I could be let go in five years. You don’t know because we’re not employees.”

In contrast, Janet Street-Porter, another staple of the show, seems confident about her future. The legendary journalist has made it clear that there are no plans to get rid of the older presenters, as they connect strongly with the show’s target audience. “There are no plans to get rid of the older women despite what some people have said,” she said.

As Loose Women faces a challenging future, the panellists are all hoping for the best but bracing for what’s to come, as ITV’s restructuring takes hold.