ITV has faced a furious backlash from viewers over its Christmas Day morning schedule, with many branding it the 'worst ever' after discovering flagship shows were pre-recorded.
Viewers Vent Fury Over 'Pre-Recorded Rubbish'
Fans of Good Morning Britain were left fuming on 25 December 2025 when they realised the channel's morning programming had been filmed in advance. The festive schedule saw GMB, typically hosted by Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley, pushed back to a 7am start instead of its usual 6am slot. Holiday specials of shows presented by Cat Deeley, Ben Shephard, and Lorraine Kelly also aired, all of which were recorded prior to Christmas Day.
This move did not sit well with the audience, who took to social media platforms to voice their intense dissatisfaction. One disgruntled viewer complained, calling the line-up "pre-recorded rubbish all morning of the same shows which are on 52 weeks of the year." They lamented the loss of special Christmas programming, stating, "Christmas TV used to be special."
A Wave of Social Media Criticism
The criticism was swift and severe across various online platforms. Another viewer declared it the "worst schedule I've ever seen ITV," while a third bluntly commented, "That was bloody awful." The authenticity of the broadcasts was also questioned, with one person asking, "What day did you actually record this.."
The sentiment of laziness was echoed by another irate fan, who blasted: "This has to be the worst, laziest programme schedule ever. The powers that be at #ITV should hang their heads in shame. Absolutely dire. All prerecorded rubbish." This viewer suggested the channel would have been better off simply showing a Christmas film.
Further complaints highlighted a perceived lack of family-friendly content. One critic asked, "Why did ITV decide to have ZERO children's or family friendly TV for the whole of Christmas morning in fact the entire day," a point with which others agreed.
Schedule Changes and ITV's Future Plans
The controversial morning line-up, which included Good Morning Britain, Lorraine, This Morning, and Loose Women, was followed by James Martin's Saturday Morning. The evening schedule featured festive specials of Emmerdale and Coronation Street, alongside quiz shows like Bullseye and The 1% Club.
This festive scheduling controversy arrives as ITV implements significant changes to its daytime programming from January 2026. Lorraine's show will be reduced to a 30-week seasonal run, airing only from 9.30am to 10am. Conversely, Good Morning Britain will extend to three and a half hours, and even four hours when Lorraine is off-air. Loose Women will also revert to a 30-week schedule, similar to its pre-2016 format.
Kevin Lygo, ITV's Managing Director of Media and Entertainment, explained the rationale behind these shifts. He stated the changes will enable the broadcaster to "continue to deliver a schedule providing viewers with the news, debate and discussion they love" while generating savings to reinvest in other genres. Lygo also emphasised the consolidation of news operations to expand national, international, and regional output.
He acknowledged the impact on production staff, pledging to support them through the transition. This Morning will maintain its regular weekday slot from 10am to 12.30pm but will be produced from a new central London studio.
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV1 and ITVX.
