Susanna Reid has hit back at criticism of the new Good Morning Britain studio, joking she is 'more than happy to be closer' to guests after the show returned from its Christmas break with a smaller set following ITV budget cuts.
The presenter, alongside co-host Ed Balls, faced viewer backlash over the cramped layout, with some noting she had to lean back during an interview with Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch. Reid responded on X, sharing a MailOnline article about the mockery and writing: 'New studio = big headlines! More than happy to be closer to our brilliant guests…'
Viewers expressed mixed reactions online. One wrote: 'I’m sorry, I don’t like the new studio, too small & far too close to each other, plus the logo on the front looks like a cheap sticker.' Another added: 'Looks too cramped and uncomfortable. And why do people have to stand up without a desk or something to lean on.' However, some supported the change, with one fan saying: 'I’m glad the ridiculously big desk has gone. Sometimes you were talking to people so far away.'
The move to ITN headquarters in central London from Television Centre comes after ITV announced budget cuts affecting daytime shows including Good Morning Britain, Lorraine, This Morning, and Loose Women, resulting in 220 job losses out of 440. Good Morning Britain has been extended by half an hour, while Lorraine has been reduced to 30 minutes for 30 weeks of the year.
Other changes include Coronation Street and Emmerdale becoming half-hour episodes, and Dancing On Ice being 'rested'. Kevin Lygo, managing director of ITV’s Media and Entertainment Division, said the changes would 'generate savings which will allow us to reinvest across the programme budget in other genres'.
