ITV celebrated its 70th anniversary at London’s Guildhall with stars including Cat Deeley, Olivia Attwood, Susanna Reid, and Ben Shepherd walking the red carpet
London’s historic Guildhall was the backdrop for a star-studded celebration on Monday night as ITV marked 70 years of broadcasting. Presenters, actors, and television personalities gathered to celebrate the channel’s rich history, with highlights including This Morning hosts Cat Deeley and Olivia Attwood.
Cat Deeley, 48, who recently announced her split from husband Patrick Kielty, made a striking appearance in a long-sleeved bright orange mini-dress that showcased her long legs. The mum-of-two smiled broadly for photographers and posed alongside her co-presenter Ben Shephard, who looked dapper in a tailored navy suit.
Speaking to press at the event, Cat reflected on the milestone: “It’s amazing to celebrate so many years of ITV. I’ve been lucky to be part of its journey and it’s wonderful to see so many faces from across the network together tonight.”
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Olivia Attwood, 34, who recently joined the This Morning presenting team, also caught the cameras’ attention. The former Love Island star opted for a chic white oversized blazer over a busty crop top, paired with wide-leg, high-waisted trousers.
Known for her striking Ibiza photos with Pete Wicks, Olivia’s appearance was polished yet relaxed, and she was all smiles as she mingled with colleagues and fellow stars.
The evening, hosted by comedian Joel Dommett, returned to the same Guildhall where ITV first broadcast in 1955, honouring seven decades of television moments spanning drama, current affairs, soaps, and daytime shows.
Stars from across ITV’s programming attended, including Good Morning Britain anchor Susanna Reid, who wore a classic black evening gown with a thigh-high slit, and co-host Charlotte Hawkins, who opted for a sheer embroidered blue dress.
The celebration also coincides with recent changes to ITV’s daytime schedule.
In a cost-saving move, programmes including Lorraine and Loose Women will now air seasonally, with Lorraine reduced to just 30 minutes per day. Both shows, alongside This Morning, will also vacate their Television Centre studios in West London, signalling a new era for the broadcaster.
While ITV marked it’s 70th anniversary tonight with a big party hosted by Joel Dommett – however The Mirror has reported that employees were displeased with the celebration going ahead amid the brutal staff cuts.
A source told The Mirror that daytime employees have been vocal about their disapproval of anniversary events going ahead in light of the recent staff cuts.
Earlier this year, ITV announced that 220 production staff out of 440 working on daytime programmes will lose their jobs.
As a result, Lorraine Kelly’s ITV show will be cut from an hour to 30 minutes, airing for just 30 weeks a year, while cuts will also be made to Loose Women.
From next year, Good Morning Britain will be worked on by a dedicated team at ITV News, while teams on Loose Women, Lorraine and This Morning will merge to save costs.
A source told The Mirror: “Daytime staff aren’t impressed that ITV is going ahead with a lavish 70th anniversary party while many are facing redundancy.”
They added that with staff set to lose their jobs, many find it insulting that ITV has invested in a new entertainment show hosted by Gary Lineker, titled The Box.
“ITV did say that they would be using the money saved from the cuts to produce shows in other areas, but daytime staff can’t help but feel slighted – especially after seeing headlines which claim that ITV boss Kevin Lygo is willing to pay a lot to lure Michael McIntyre over from the BBC.”
ITV declined to comment when approached by The Mirror.
Source: Mirror
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