Television medical expert Dr Hilary Jones will depart ITV's Lorraine programme as a regular contributor following 36 years of service, with his final scheduled appearance on December 31.
The 72-year-old general practitioner revealed his exit comes as the morning programme faces severe reductions under ITV's cost-cutting measures.
Dr Jones told The Sun on Sunday: "I'm still working there until December 31 and then I'm a free agent.
"It's liberating from the constraints of a news programme presenter," he added to the publication.
Dr Hilary Jones is leaving ITV's Lorraine
|ITV
The veteran broadcaster began his television career in 1989 as TV-am's medical expert before joining GMTV in 1993 as health and medical adviser.
He continued in this role when the programme evolved into Daybreak and subsequently Lorraine, where he has served as health editor since the show's launch in 2010.
Dr Hilary Jones
|PA
From January 2026, Lorraine's broadcast schedule will be dramatically reduced to just 30 minutes daily, down from its current hour-long format.
The programme will also shift to a seasonal schedule, airing for only 30 weeks annually rather than the current 52-week arrangement.
These changes form part of extensive budget reductions at ITV, which will result in more than 220 redundancies across the broadcaster's daytime operations.
The workforce supporting ITV Studios' daytime programming faces being reduced by half as the network attempts to address financial pressures.
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Dr Hilary Jones will leave the role at the end of 2025
|PA
Recent financial reports revealed ITV's profits declined by 30 per cent during the first half of this year.
The restructuring also affects Loose Women, which will similarly be reduced to a 30-week broadcast schedule from 2026.
Dr Jones expressed uncertainty about whether ITV would organise farewell celebrations for departing staff, given the financial constraints.
"It would be lovely if they did, but we will wait and see on that one because money is tight," he told The Sun on Sunday.
"Certainly, there are groups of us who feel we're part of a family, so we will all be going out anyway, whether they pay or not. We are quite happy to dip into our own pockets," he said.
The medical expert suggested he might return to the programme in a different capacity, stating: "I'll probably come back as a guest presenter now and then."
Lorraine Kelly has spoken publicly about the programme changes, describing the situation as "heartbreaking" whilst dismissing speculation about her own departure.
"I don't see me going anywhere until people get fed up, you know? Until people say, 'I've had enough of that one,'" the 65-year-old presenter told The Mirror.
Lorraine Kelly has shared her thoughts on the ITV cuts | ITVMs Kelly expressed particular distress about the impact on her production team, many of whom have worked alongside her for over two decades.
"It's really heartbreaking to split up the team. A lot of them have been with me for more than 20 years, and they're my friends. I've grown up with them," she said.
The presenter acknowledged her initial anger over the cuts but clarified her concerns centred on staff welfare rather than personal impact.
"I wasn't annoyed or angry about this for me. It was about the team," she explained.