Lorraine Kelly

Lorraine Kelly says ITV daytime cuts were ‘really rubbish’ and upset her

TV host Lorraine Kelly saw her team lose jobs in the IT shake up – her show Lorraine has been slashed to 30 weeks a year and gone from an hour to 30 minutes on screen

Lorraine Kelly has said the ITV cuts to her show have left her feeling “really rubbish” as rumours continue that she could leave.

The TV host has now been on screen for over 40 years, but said in an interview last year she was “not done yet” despite ITV cutting her hours. As part of daytime ITV budget cuts her show Lorraine has been slashed to 30 weeks a year and gone from an hour to 30 minutes on screen.

Speaking to Saga magazine when asked how she felt about what happened, Lorraine said: “Really rubbish. A lot of my team got made redundant. It was really hard and harder for them. We were very close-knit, but it’s all about budget. All television shows are in the same boat, we’re not alone.”

She went on to insist despite the role and hours changing, it was still “the best job in television” with lovely guests. Lorraine, 66, also spoke in the interview about her beloved dad John dying aged 84 in January and her mum’s health.

She said: “Mum’s health’s bad, but she’s grand. She’s very self-sufficient, like all those war babies are. I always keep an eye on her but don’t let her know I’m keeping an eye on her. I’ve said, ‘You can stay with us any time for as long as you like’. It’s weird. When something massive is happening, your hand still goes to your phone. Dad is – I keep speaking about him in the present tense – really into space. When [NASA’s rocket] Artemis II flew around the moon, I wanted to say, ‘Are you watching this? It’s amazing’. Then you remember he’s not there.”

She added: “When Dad wasn’t well, it brought us closer, supporting each other. It’s been a tough time, but the conversations you have with your relatives you wouldn’t have had otherwise are amazing: you talk about the past and then the wedding – that’s a new beginning.”

Lorraine is upbeat and optimistic despite a series of setbacks in life in recent months. In June 2025 Lorraine was told she was a “national treasure” during an interview and replied: “Well, that’s nice, but it’s only because I’ve been around for so long.

“I’ve been doing telly for over 40 years. It’s mad isn’t it? It’s absolutely crazy. I started in breakfast telly in 1984, and I’m still getting away with it. Extraordinarily.”

Speaking to Tom Kerridge on the Proper Tasty podcast, she added: “40 years in TV last year was incredible. I got a BAFTA. ‘Here’s a BAFTA for being alive’. I thought, ‘Hang on a minute, I’m not done yet’.”

Lorraine was told in person by ITV boss Kevin Lygo about the changes to her show which began at the start of 2026. Reports have suggested she is considering leaving her ITV show in the future and could work for BBC or other broadcasters. She made her Radio 2 debut at Christmas presenting in Jeremy Vine’s midday slot during the festive period. Her presence would also likely give any other channel a ratings boost if she ever moves, as she remains hugely popular.

* The full interview with Lorraine is in July’s Saga magazine, out now.

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Matt Baker says ‘we found our way’ as he addresses being ‘apart’ from wife

Countryfile presenter Matt Baker and his wife Nicola have opened up about how they manage time apart due to his filming commitments

Matt Baker shared a rare insight into his marriage.

In a previous interview on ITV’s Lorraine, broadcast last year, Matt Baker and his wife offered candid insight into how they keep their relationship thriving despite lengthy stretches apart owing to Matt’s filming schedule.

As the conversation turned to Matt’s TV series and Nicola’s book, host Lorraine Kelly quizzed the couple on how they first met.

With a cheeky grin, she asked: “Now, you two met when you were babies, right? Teenagers. Nicola, were you into farming? Were you a farm girl?”

“No, I wasn’t a farm girl,” Nicola replied warmly. “I loved being outdoors. I loved just the outdoor life. But farming was something that came to me when we met.”

Lorraine then turned her attention to how the couple copes with prolonged time apart, particularly when Matt heads off to film Countryfile and other projects. She probed: “Obviously, you know, you go off and do your own thing writing the books, and you go off and do your own thing around Britain,” reports the Express.

She continued thoughtfully: “So there are times when you’re apart, but you don’t think sometimes that works. It just does. You know, you’ve always got something to talk about.”

“We are such do-ers, really,” Matt chipped in, adding: “We are so supportive of what each other wants to do.”

He concluded: “But yeah, we’ve just sort of found our way through because we sort of focus on what we’re passionate about.” Nicola offered her take on their situation: “And then we make the most of the time when we have together, you sort of prioritise that and make the most of that.”

When Matt isn’t busy filming, he often keeps his Instagram followers updated with his day-to-day life. In one of his most recent posts, the Countryfile presenter shared the heartbreaking news that his dog had died.

In an emotional social media post, Matt confirmed the loss of his cherished companion, writing: “R.I.P Bob”.

He wrote alongside the post: “It’s with a very heavy heart that I’m letting you know our wonderful Bob is no longer with us.

“He’s been gone a while, but I haven’t been able to talk about it as I’ve been finding it so incredibly sad. Bob was a brilliant dog. He was there for me with his gentle soul as the ultimate companion through some of the greatest chapters of my life, from raising our kids to all the changes we made on our family farm.”

He continued, “It’s broken my heart, but I feel hugely grateful to have had him in our lives, and I thank him from the bottom of my heart for everything he’s taught me and brought to our family.

“I’m sure all you dog lovers will agree the reason we love our dogs so much is because the only time they break our hearts is when they leave us. RIP Bob X.”

Lorraine airs weekdays at 9.30am on ITV and Countryfile airs on Sunday on BBC One.

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