Lorraine Kelly announced a show break live on air at the end of her ITV programme on Friday, July 3. The 66-year-old presenter confirmed that her show would be taking a hiatus, with Good Morning Britain (GMB) extending by 30 minutes each weekday until This Morning begins at 10am.
Live Announcement and Farewell
Closing the live episode, which featured interviews with Atomic Kitten star Natasha Hamilton and entertainment reporter Ross King discussing Taylor Swift's wedding, Kelly told viewers: "That's all from us for now. I am away for a wee while. I'll really miss you, but I will see you very, very soon." She concluded with "Have a great weekend!" as the credits rolled. No return date has been confirmed.
Background of ITV Daytime Cuts
This break follows significant changes to ITV's daytime schedule after cuts last year. Lorraine was reduced from 60 minutes to 30 minutes per episode, with GMB extended by half an hour to fill the gap. The programme now airs for only 30 weeks out of 52, having previously run nearly year-round. Loose Women has also been cut to 30 weeks annually but retains its current slot.
Kevin Lygo, managing director of ITV's Media and Entertainment Division, previously described the broadcaster as being in a "transition." He stated: "I recognise that our plans will have an impact on staff on-screen in our Daytime production teams. We will work with ITV studios and ITN as they manage these changes to produce the shows differently from next year, and support them through this transition." He added: "Daytime has been a core element of ITV's schedule for over 40 years and these changes will set ITV up to continue to bring viewers award-winning news, views and discussion as we enter our eighth decade."
Other Recent Daytime Changes
Lorraine's break is not the only recent change to ITV daytime. Susanna Reid has been notably absent from GMB, announcing she had a "special project" to complete following Sir Keir Starmer's resignation last month. Fans expressed disappointment on social media, with one writing: "You will be missed Susanna," and another adding: "Oh it's never the same when you're not there!" Reid is scheduled to return to the GMB studio on Monday, July 6, as the show extends during Lorraine's break.
