Stars working at ITV are said to be in “panic” mode after bosses at the channel are set to make budget cuts ahead of the autumn.
According to insiders at the channel, several of the channel’s most beloved stars are gearing up for a tough couple of months as a cull is expected over the coming weeks. Many big names could be set to leave as their contracts run out, with shows including Good Morning Britain constantly being tweaked.
The sources have also said it is “panic stations” at other big shows including Loose Women, which had seen a huge drive in new presenters and panellists to highlight diversity. Other shows including This Morning are also not spared as regular Friday hosts Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary could be facing the chop as ITV looks to make drastic cuts to its budget.
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Speaking to The Sun, the source explained: “It’s panic station time. The presenters’ contracts are under major review when they come to expire — normally in August or September — and further cuts have been warned of.”
(Image: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
As well as these, the insiders also pointed to GMB star Adil Ray’s 12-month contract nearing its expiry date, making him “theoretically most likely to be in the firing line”. O’Leary is in a similar boat, having permanently joined the This Morning team last year; however, due to popularity with viewers, the sources said that he will likely keep his post.
“Editors are so concerned that they are sending staff daily ‘heat maps’ on ratings, showing which items lost viewers,” they added. “A few of the Loose Women panel are worried too, as so many new faces have been brought in and some have worked better than others.”
(Image: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
It comes after the channel announced that 200 jobs at the station were to go in a £50million cost-cutting measure to keep vital background staff in their jobs. Speaking at the time, a spokesperson for the channel said they were “very proud” of the work the broadcaster makes.
In a statement, the spokesperson said: “We’re very proud of our teams, on and off screen, who produce 71.5 hours of brilliant live content every weekday. ITV’s daytime shows reach 7.5million viewers weekly.”
(Image: ITV)
No specific names have been confirmed to be axed from the station, as the channel gears up for its autumn schedule. In recent years, some big hitting shows have been aired throughout the autumn, going into the winter months – with dramas including Breathtaking and The Tower becoming hugely popular with viewers.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
