ITV bosses have reportedly warned staff there could be job loses after “drop in ratings”.
Production teams for shows fronted by some of the biggest names in television are said to be facing a “pay freeze” following a dip in viewing figures.
According to reporters, staff could be offered three-month contracts instead of long-term jobs and the number of freelancers is also being cut.
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An ITV daytime boss held a meeting last week and offered an update on the channel’s flagship shows Good Morning Britain, Lorraine, This Morning and Loose Women.
(Image: PA)
A source told The Sun : “ITV is really tightening their belt. There have been concerns for months at the top but now that it’s trickled down to the shop floor it feels very depressing. A lot of staff are being put on three-month contracts, probably so they can get rid of people easily. There are pay freezes in place.
“On screen they are keeping costs down by not trialling new talent on regular segments. There is hope that the viewing figures pick up again as the UK election campaigns kick in again. But it feels particularly difficult to stomach after they splashed out on the re-launch of This Morning.”
(Image: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
It has been reported that This Morning’s Cat and Ben have each bagged £555,000 to front the magazine show following Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby’s departures and GMB’s Susanna is said to have a £1million contract to front, making her one of the best paid presenters on the box.
An ITV Spokesperson told Daily Star: Town hall meetings happen frequently for teams to keep up to date with company news and also serve as an opportunity for staff to have questions answered. The latest one was to celebrate the success of Lorraine Kelly receiving a BAFTA Special Recognition Award and the two BAFTA nominations for Daytime last weekend. It was also a transparent portrayal of what is currently happening across the industry.
(Image: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
“As a broadcaster and streamer, ITV has a range of programming in its Daytime schedules. This Morning reached an average 4.2 million viewers a week in April alone, its highest so far in 2024. In 2023 This Morning was one of the most streamed shows on ITVX.
“Like all media, This Morning has expanded into the digital sphere with record breaking results. This Morning remains Britain’s most talked about and influential daytime TV show and has never had a better connection with its viewer, with just under 160 million video views of This Morning content and reached 63 million unique social media accounts in April.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
