Money saving expert Martin Lewis has issued an emotional statement in response to ITV's major daytime schedule shake-up, which will see approximately 220 jobs cut across the broadcaster's popular morning shows.
The changes, announced on May 20, will dramatically alter ITV's daytime lineup from January 2026, with both Lorraine and Loose Women reduced to seasonal schedules of just 30 weeks per year.
Lorraine Kelly's morning talk show will be particularly affected, with its runtime slashed in half to just 30 minutes, while Good Morning Britain will be extended by half an hour to run from 6am to 9:30am daily.
The restructuring is part of ITV's plan to save money for reinvestment in other programming, including drama, sport, entertainment and reality shows.
Martin Lewis regularly fronts Good Morning Britain
ITV
During the weeks when Lorraine is not on air, Good Morning Britain will be further extended to run from 6am to 10am. This Morning, hosted by Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard, will remain in its 10am-12:30pm slot on weekdays throughout the year.
Loose Women will continue in the 12:30pm-1:30pm slot but, like Lorraine, will only air for 30 weeks annually, returning to the seasonal schedule it operated on until 2016.
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Martin Lewis is one of the country's leading financial journalists
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It was also announced that Good Morning Britain will no longer be produced by ITV Studios but instead by ITN, the organisation that makes ITV News.
The expanded GMB will include more regional news, agenda-setting investigations and exclusives, alongside its typical mix of interviews, news, and debates.
All three shows - Lorraine, This Morning, and Loose Women - will be broadcast from a new location in central London.
Taking to social media platform X, GMB presenter Lewis expressed solidarity with his colleagues affected by the cuts, writing: "I just want to send a note of support to my behind-the-scenes colleagues and friends at @GMB and @thismorning, and across ITV daytime."
Lewis continued: "Many, including scores of hardworking, dedicated, talented, production staff, and studio and other crew, are being told their roles are at risk of redundancy and that they will have to compete for similar positions."
The financial expert acknowledged the emotional toll of the announcement, adding: "It's a very difficult time, and I want to send a public note of appreciation for everything they do and have done."
According to reports, around half of all staff working across GMB, Lorraine, This Morning and Loose Women will lose their jobs as part of the shake-up.
Lewis emphasised that the cuts were not a reflection on the quality of the shows, but rather a consequence of broader industry trends.
Martin Lewis addressed the overhaul by ITV on social media
X
"I think it's important to be clear, in public, that this is primarily a function of the decline in linear television - and not a reflection on the quality of the work," he wrote.
The money saving expert explained the economic reality facing traditional broadcasters: "TV ratings (and thus for ITV, show revenue) keep dropping by, say, 10 percent year on year as more people switch to streaming and other online eyeball competition. That then leads to cost-cutting, and job losses."
Despite offering the explanation, Lewis acknowledged the personal impact on those affected: "Not that understanding the rational makes it easier, for anyone facing this life challenge. Good vibes to all."
Kevin Lygo, Managing Director of ITV's Media and Entertainment Division, explained the rationale behind the changes in an official statement.
Loose Women will face down similar cuts which will see it off air for half the yearITV"Daytime is a really important part of what we do, and these scheduling and production changes will enable us to continue to deliver a schedule providing viewers with the news, debate and discussion they love from the presenters they know and trust, as well as generating savings which will allow us to reinvest across the programme budget in other genres," he said.
Lygo acknowledged the human cost of the restructuring, adding: "I recognise that our plans will have an impact on staff off screen in our Daytime production teams, and 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."
The changes come as ITV also announced a restructuring of its soap schedule, with Coronation Street and Emmerdale set to be changed to half-hour instalments from January 2026.
