Lorraine Kelly says ITV daytime cutback worked out well

Television presenter Lorraine Kelly has described the significant reduction to her ITV daytime show as a mixed blessing, providing her with more personal time while also leading to difficult professional and personal adjustments. The changes, which took effect at the start of 2026, saw her program "Lorraine" cut from airing 52 weeks a year to 30 weeks and its runtime halved from one hour to thirty minutes.

Kelly, 66, admitted the initial announcement left her feeling "really rubbish," particularly because it resulted in redundancies for many members of her close-knit production team. She attributed the decision to budgetary pressures affecting the broader television industry. Despite the difficult transition, she has come to embrace the new schedule, stating it has provided a better work-life balance and more time to pursue other passions.

A major beneficiary of her increased free time has been her writing career. Kelly recently published her second novel, "The Island Secret," a sequel to her 2024 debut, "The Island Swimmer." She said having more time allowed her to dedicate herself more fully to the writing process, which she loves. The publication was bittersweet, however, as...