Carol McGiffin Calls for Loose Women to be Axed Amidst Budget Cuts

Carol McGiffin, a former presenter on ITV's Loose Women, has stated that the show should be axed, describing it as "boring" and "stripped to its bare bones" following significant budget cuts to the network's daytime programming. McGiffin, who was a regular on the panel for over two decades before departing in 2023 due to contract disputes, believes the show has become stale.

ITV announced substantial reductions to its daytime lineup last year, which included removing the studio audience for Loose Women and decreasing its annual episode output by half. McGiffin commented on these changes, telling The Sun, "It's boring now, there's no audience, they've cut it back to the bare bones. So what do you expect… maybe it's time to put it down."

She added, "It's done, it's over. I'm sure a lot of people still love to sit down and watch it, but not me."

McGiffin had previously discussed her departure from the show in her column for Best Magazine in 2023. She cited a difficult contract issue that caused her significant stress and affected her health. "The problem was, ITV were insisting, for the first time since I went back in 2018, that if I wanted to carry on doing the show, I would have to sign a contract that was totally unjust and unworkable for me, so I had to say no thanks," she explained.

Reports later suggested that a dispute over free speech was a central factor in her exit, stemming from comments she made during a TNT Radio interview. McGiffin reflected on her early career in television and radio, noting a perceived increase in restrictions and a greater tendency for people to take offense.

In May 2025, it was revealed that both Lorraine and Loose Women were slated to be effectively axed for half the year, with Lorraine's runtime also reduced. These cuts, affecting over 220 jobs, were part of ITV Daytime's strategy to reallocate resources towards drama programming. Host Lorraine Kelly saw her slot integrated into Good Morning Britain for 22 weeks of the year, impacting her regular stand-in presenters. Additionally, ITV Studios ceased production of Good Morning Britain, with ITN taking over responsibility for the program.