Category Entertainment News

Loose Women will shift to a seasonal schedule of 30 weeks per year and will no longer have a studio audience, as part of ITV’s major shake-up for 2026

Loose Women panellist Janet Street Porter has spoken out about the upcoming changes to the ITV show, set to take effect in 2026. As part of a major shake-up to ITV’s scheduling, there will be fewer episodes aired of the popular lunchtime programme, and live studio audiences will also be scrapped.

With the show being scaled back to just 30 weeks a year, reports also suggest that some of the 26-strong panel could also be cut. Addressing the changes, the 78-year-old said she won’t be affected by it.

“They won’t really affect me because I work when I want to work,” she shared with Woman Magazine.

“I can see they need to save money but from my point of view, I’m sad they’ve cut the episodes because Loose Women as a brand is doing extremely well for ITV.

“Very well indeed. It’s increased its audience share and it’s loved by the audience.”

Janet is one of the long-term panellists, who has been a part of the show since 2011.

In a previous interview, she seemed adamant that the older stars will not be axed from the programme.

“There are no plans to get rid of the older women, despite of what some people have said!,” she told Bella Magazine.

“In fact, the reverse is true. ITV actually put out a statement saying we are the valued members of the show because the audience totally relate to us.”

Janet went on to say that the show has become “trusted by a lot of women”, due to the difficult topics the panellists discuss, such as female health and domestic violence.

“I think the show has managed to connect to women who wouldn’t otherwise have a voice,” she added.

“And it’s delivered with a lot of laughs because we don’t take ourselves too seriously.”

While Janet may not seem worried by the news, her co-star Nadia Sawalha has expressed a very different view.

In an emotional video on her YouTube Channel, the presenter said she found the “out of the blue” cuts “absolutely brutal”.

Addressing her uncertain future on the show due to being self-employed, she added: “I could be let go tomorrow, [or] I could be let go in five years, you don’t know because we’re not employees.”

As well as Loose Women, Lorraine Kelly’s self-titled show will also only operate on a 30-week seasonal basis, and will be cut from one hour to 30 minutes on air.

In a statement, Kevin Lygo, the managing director of ITV’s Media and Entertainment Division, acknowledged that the broadcaster is going through a “transition”.

He said: “I recognise that our plans will have an impact on staff off screen in our Daytime production teams.

“We will work with ITV Studios and ITN as they manage these changes to produce the shows differently from next year, and support them through this transition.”

Metallica bassist, Robert Trujillo, has shared stories from Ozzy Osbourne’s funeral, which was attended by his famous family, including youngest daughter, Kelly

One of the famous guests at Ozzy Osbourne’s funeral has revealed the moment he believed the beloved star played a prank on daughter Kelly at the service from beyond the grave.

Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo says the ceremony was packed with ‘magical moments’ and guests felt Ozzy’s wicked sense of humour as his daughter Kelly performed a special tribute.

The Black Sabbath legend was laid to rest at his Buckingham Estate last month, just weeks after playing a final concert at Villa Park.

Trujillo revealed that Kelly, 40, sang a tribute to her father during the service. But as she took to the stand with her lyric sheet a gust of wind blew the words away. It comes as the mum-of-one posted a poignant clip about her unconventional life on tour with the Black Sabbath star.

Trujillo, a longtime member of Ozzy, said he felt that Ozzy’s keen sense of humour was present at the farewell.

READ MORE: Yungblud shares heartbreaking way he learned of mentor Ozzy Osbourne’s shock deathREAD MORE: Freddie Mercury’s secret daughter breaks silence with confession ahead of tell-all book

Speaking on the Trunk Nation Show, he said: “It was a small group of people but very beautiful. It was very sad but at the same time some of the speeches were pretty funny.

“It had been raining at the beginning of the service for longer than an hour before. And then as it sort of progressed through the service, the weather would change and different things would happen like when Kelly was singing, her lyrics flew (away). Like the wind blew her lyrics away. It was almost like Ozzy was having fun with her. “

Trujillo did say that the day was emotional and very magical moments.

Osbourne’s fellow Black Sabbath co-founder Geezer Butler was crying at first when he addressed the crowd with the rain dropping. But when he stood back up to deliver his full eulogy the clouds departed leaving the attendees in the sun.

“There were a lot of tears with Sabbath especially with Geezer., Geezer broke down in tears. He had a hard time, obviously, speaking,” said Trujillo. And then he came back up and he delivered an amazing eulogy, “When Geezer spoke the sun came out. I am not kidding and then it was beautiful from that moment on. There were ,magical moments.

“It was sad but at the same time people were sharing stories and all of a sudden there’s laughter, and ‘I remember this, I remember that.’ “There’s so many stories.

“There so many heartfelt words – kind of reconnecting with different musicians and bandmates and crew members.

“It felt like there was closure from this. And I am glad my wife Chloe and I went and shared that and we were able to have that moment with the family. “

Back to the Beginning

Speaking about the Back To The Beginning Black Sabbath show at Villa Park, that became Ozzy’s final ever performance, Trujillo said: “It was something we wanted to do and a celebration. Everybody was on the same page. It was all about Ozzy and Sabbath and remembering why we play the music we play. It was because of these dudes man. They are the seed to everything we create . There was some beautiful moments. For every musician it resonated in the most powerful beautiful way. So it was sad in a lot of ways but it felt like something special and a new beginning and getting power from these guys.”

Trujillio recalled how he hung out with Ozzy and his Sabbath pals laughing that “it was like hanging with our heroes.” He also said that he and singer James Hetfleld hung out with Ozzy after his show.

The 60-year-old Santa Monica based star added: “James got on one knee and held Ozzy’s hand. It was almost like saying goodbye to Ozzy in some ways. It was heart felt. It was a powerful moment. It was sad I had to leave the room, because I was so touched.

“I believe Ozzy wanted this more than anything and he really did hang in there for all of us, so he could sing that one last time and take that final bow. He went out on his terms and in his way. “

The Californian admitted that the Villa Park show was like a “living funeral”, but noted: “it was a shock because I sent a little bit of time with him in Birmingham. And then all of a sudden I get the call.

“In the last four years I somehow ended up connected to Ozzy. I co- wrote his last record with Andrew Watt and that was really special.

“We did that and it was great because we won a couple of Grammys and he got rock album of the year – and he never had that before. I feel connected to him in a lot of ways. Ozzy helped so many bands. I call him the gateway. “

Ozzy died on July 22 from a heart attack 17 days after Back To The Beginning. He played nine songs at the event which raised tens of millions for charities.

Close friends and family had been laughing at another cheeky farewell ode to one of most controversial career moments. Ozzy was laid to rest in the grounds of his Buckinghamshire home which has special trees houses installed for bats.

The Brummie rocker famously chomped the head off a bat during his Diary of a Madman tour in Des Moines’ Veterans Memorial Auditorium in January 1982.

The move prompted huge upset from animal charities, but cemented his place into rock and roll history as the craziest artist of all time.

Oz insisted in his 2010 memoir that the bat was already dead, but regretted the decision after needing daily rabies shots for months.

Now the star has “brought some light in this time of huge darkness for those close to him, but having a connected to the bats.”

Around the family’s Welders estate they have installed environmental bat boxes allowing the creatures to have resting places in the countryside there.

Love Island star Conor Phillips has sent TikTok into meltdown after seemingly slamming one his fellow islanders who he was good friends with while in the villa

Love Island star Conor Phillips is the subject of much talk after reposting a scathing TikTok about one of his fellow islanders.

Irish rugby player Conor, 25, finished in fifth place on this summer’s series of Love Island with love interest Megan Forte-Clarke after she made an epic return to the villa despite being dumped by the public earlier on in the series.

After making her unexpected comeback, Megan and Conor lost out on a place in the final, but the pair’s blossoming romance appears to be going from strength-to-strength now that the pair are both back living in Dublin. It comes after Love Island’s Harry confirmed he was dating another Islander’s friend ‘right before’ the show.

READ MORE: Love Island’s Doctor Alex George says ‘everything changed’ after these diet changesREAD MORE: Phillip Schofield spotted kissing male pal after boozy lunch as he stumbles out of bar

However, the couple haven’t been able to escape the drama post-villa. Despite being good friends with all of the islanders on this series, Conor has found himself in a spot of bother after reposting a scathing TikTok video aimed at his fellow islander, Megan Moore.

Megan was painted as the villa ‘mean girl’ while on the show and had several altercations with runner-up Shakira Khan – who Conor coupled-up with one the show after the pair realised they were much more than best friends.

Throughout the duration of the show, Meg made dozens of cruel comments about Shakira which were never aired on either The Movie Night or the The Graffties ceremony.

This infuriated fans due to the fact that every mean comment Shakira made about Meg was screened for everyone to see as they claimed producers were trying their best to paint the brunette bombshell as the villa villain.

Since leaving the show, it appears that Conor has chosen his side amid the huge divide in the cast this season, and it seems as though he’s got Shakira’s back all the way. The rugby player not only liked but also reposted a fan-made video calling Meg ‘fake’ on TikTok.

The premise of the video was based around the fact that since leaving the villa, it appears that Meg has been trying her best to do some serious damage control by making dozens of TikTok videos with islanders she had disagreements with while on the show, including Andrada and Emma.

Conor appeared to agree with what had been said in the video, and naturally, fans went crazy after realising that he took the time to repost it. However, as the video and his post gained more and more attention, Conor released a statement claiming that the repost was a ‘mistake’ on his part.

“I reposted by accident. Meg is my big sis,” he wrote in the comments of the now viral video. However, not everyone was so convinced by the ‘accident’ as they rushed to the comments to call out the islander.

One wrote: “The repost button is too far for it to be an accident.” Another quipped: “Yeah, yeah Conor. Whatever you want to tell yourself. We believe you. NOT.”

“He was probably sending it to someone and accidentally clicked repost omg,” someone else suggested. While another TikTok user said: “I think it was Megan reposting it just to wind him up and see the drama unfold. She would be someone who would do that lol.”

Despite the TikTok drama, Conor has gained huge popularity since appearing on the show and has already garnered a whopping 204,000k followers on Instagram since joining the ITV2 show nine weeks ago.

Reality TV star Katie Price had a message for her children this week. She declared that she isn’t the “enemy” of her five kids and isn’t “trying to control” them with a post about motherhood on social media.

Katie shared a post, uploaded by the account INEX Digital Wealth on Instagram, on the platform yesterday. It began: “Your mom is not your enemy. She may not always say things the way you want to hear them, but her heart is always in the right place. She’s the one who worries when you’re hurting, prays when you’re lost, and stands by you even when the world doesn’t.”

The message concluded: “She’s not trying to control you. She’s trying to protect you. She may not be perfect, but she’s the only woman in this world who truly wants what’s best for you, even if it costs her everything.”

Katie has five children, including Harvey Price, 23, Junior Andre, 20, and Princess Andre, 18, who are her eldest kids. Her relationship with the latter has made headlines lately amid the release of the ITV show the Princess Diaries.

Princess, who has followed in the footsteps of her mother by pursuing a career in modelling, fronts the reality TV show, which launched on Sunday night. It also features some of her family, including her father Peter Andre, 52.

Katie had said that she wouldn’t be watching the show. She’s criticised Princess’ management for not “allowing” her to guide the teenager in her career and claims that her offer to appear on the TV show was turned down.

The former glamour model spoke about the project on an episode of the Katie Price Show podcast. Katie said she’s “very upset” that her ex-husband Peter’s management, the CAN Group, are managing her daughter Princess’ career.

After sharing that Princess is following a similar career path, Katie said: “I have not been allowed to go on any photoshoot, no signings or Superdrug openings or anything like that. Why? Because I’m not allowed and I’m not welcome.”

* This is a breaking showbiz news story. Join The Mirror’s WhatsApp Community or follow us on Google News, Flipboard, Apple News, TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads – or visit The Mirror homepage.

A PR and crisis expert has suggested the streaming giant is “pivoting away” from the Sussexes as details of their new “multi-year, first-look” deal have come to light

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s new “downgraded” Netflix deal suggests the streaming giant is “pivoting away” from the Sussexes, according to a PR and crisis expert.

Sparse details of Harry and Meghan’s “multi-year, first look” deal have come to light, after it was announced on Monday that the royal couple have renewed their agreement with Netflix following weeks of rumours that their lucrative five-year contract would officially be coming to an end in September.

After Meghan released a statement to share that she and Harry are “proud to extend our partnership with Netflix and expand our work together”, an expert has revealed how the changing terms of their contract may signal a change of heart from the streaming service. It comes after ‘Fuming’ Prince Harry plots next move with ‘all options on table’ as bitter Sentebale row deepens.

READ MORE: Prince Andrew’s hidden motive for ‘nasty remarks about Kate Middleton’READ MORE: Meghan Markle ‘burst into tears’ over Prince William’s brutal statement

Their new deal, which has been signed for an undisclosed amount, guarantees Netflix first refusal on any new projects commissioned by the Sussexes , which is a far cry from the five-year deal they signed in 2020 which is thought to be worth more than $100 million (£74 million).

According to PR and crisis expert Mark Borkowski, the “downgraded” deal suggests that Netflix are “pivoting away” from Harry and Meghan, after the shows they put out under their first deal failed to perform.

He said: “I think Netflix has done a very neat job of pivoting away from two very expensive people who didn’t deliver, and they’ve taken that deal off the table, and they’ve given them a modest one.”

He went on to explain that the signing of the new contract shows that the streaming giant still wants to have a solid relationship with the Sussexes, but is also cautious not to spend too much money on content that may not resonate with viewers.

Borkowski added: “It’s not like they’re gradually uncoupling. It’s a downgrade. Netflix are not going to expose themselves to those budgets again and it’s Netflix saying ‘Well, look, let’s have a look at your content, but we’ll pick and choose, mate’.”

The PR expert also suggested that the Sussexes would be on a pay-as-you-go deal, where they are paid for productions selected by Netflix that make it to air, rather than receiving an overall fee, as he said: “I would be surprised if it’s not pay as you go and it’s well, well below that first mark (of an estimated 100 million dollars).” A representative for the Sussexes declined to comment on the financial arrangements of the deal.

The Sussexes’ new deal was announced on Monday, as Meghan issued a statement saying: “We’re proud to extend our partnership with Netflix and expand our work together to include the As Ever brand.

“My husband and I feel inspired by our partners who work closely with us and our Archewell Productions team to create thoughtful content across genres that resonates globally, and celebrates our shared vision.”

Bela Bajaria, Netflix’s Chief Content Officer, added: “Harry and Meghan are influential voices whose stories resonate with audiences everywhere. The response to their work speaks for itself — Harry & Meghan gave viewers an intimate look into their lives and quickly became one of our most-watched documentary series.

“More recently, fans have been inspired by With Love, Meghan, with products from the new As Ever line consistently selling out in record time. We’re excited to continue our partnership with Archewell Productions and to entertain our members together.”

Amazon’s ‘bestselling’ cooling fan has just been reduced by over £250, and can be on your doorstep tomorrow in time for the rest of the heatwave

With the high temperatures we’ve already had this summer, it’s likely you’ve already got a fan, however, if you’re looking for an extra one to add around the house or to upgrade your current one, we’ve found the ultimate deal on Amazon that is definitely not worth missing.

Rated as Amazon’s number one selling tower fan, the Pureborne 42 Inch Smart Tower Fan with Remote & App Control has been discounted from a huge £349.95 to £79.99—that’s a huge 78% saving. The best part is that if you order on Amazon Prime, it will arrive by tomorrow in time for the rest of the heatwave.

This ultra-quiet tower fan features a smart airflow design that keeps noise levels low at every speed, so it’s perfect for bedrooms, home offices, or anywhere else you need peaceful cooling.

With four speed settings, four modes, and a 90° oscillation, you can adjust the breeze to exactly how you like. Plus, the clever Auto mode changes the speed based on your room’s temperature.

READ MORE: Ranvir Singh’s flattering and breezy GMB midi dress is perfect for heatwave dressing

READ MORE: Amazon slashes £22 off Samsung tracking tag that ‘takes seconds’ to locate lost keys and phones

Its bladeless design also makes this fan totally safe for children and pets. While its ability to be controlled via remote, touch panel, app, or even your voice via Alexa and Google Assistant makes it great for all ages.

And it’s got the shopper reviews to back it up. Customers have been raving about its quiet design, how easy it is to use and how well it cools down the room. One happy shopper wrote: “The best fan I’ve ever owned. Fantastic cool breeze blowing. Remote control. Quiet. Ticks all my boxes, amazing value. 5 stars from me. I am well impressed.”

A second added: “Finally, a fan that doesn’t sound like a jet engine! Honestly, the silence is the biggest win for me. I can actually sleep with this on in the bedroom. The app is dead easy to use, set the timer before bed and forget about it. The automatic mode is surprisingly effective; wakes up feeling cool without freezing half the night.”

Not everyone was as impressed with a third shopper writing: “Honestly a little underwhelming. At the cost of £350 full price, and £80 at discount, you’d expect it to be pretty good. Sibling had a round fan that he bought for £20 from BnM which has more power.”