Loose Women schedule change sees unexpected ITV show take slot

Another TV show is taking over Loose Women’s usual slot this week as ITV has pulled the programme from its schedule

Each week, ITV audiences are accustomed to the Loose Women panel discussing the day’s top stories before chatting with a celebrity guest.

But there’s a shake-up to the beloved programme this week, which recently witnessed Denise Welch issuing an on-air apology, as it will be absent from screens on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Instead, viewers will be settling in at 12.30pm to catch a repeat of James Martin’s Great British Adventure, which first broadcast in 2019.

Throughout the show, the renowned chef ventures across the Irish Sea to Northern Ireland, where he teams up with celebrated local chef Paul Rankin.

From preparing fish stew and visiting a family farm to catching mackerel at sea and even taking part in a hovercraft race, ITV audiences will enjoy thirty minutes of entertainment before the news bulletin begins, reports the Express.

After this, ITV will broadcast live coverage from York racecourse, running from 1.30pm through to 4.30pm.

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This programming appears to remain consistent for the following three days.

The scheduling changes were revealed on Loose Women during Tuesday’s (August 19) episode by comedian Lee Peat, who typically remains behind the scenes as the warm-up performer for the studio audience.

Whilst outlining the latest competition information, Lee remarked: “Lines close on Friday and I will saw, this is actually the last Loose Women of the week, so get your entry in if you want to do that!”

As the programme concluded, presenter Christine Lampard confirmed that the show would return to its regular slot on Bank Holiday Monday (August 25).

Loose Women frequently finishes early when the racing is scheduled, though it remains unclear why the programme won’t broadcast for the rest of this week, particularly as the races commence just as the show typically ends.

Nevertheless, from 2026 onwards, ITV audiences will witness significantly less of the long-running programme as it will only transmit for 30 weeks annually instead of the current 52.

This development follows confirmation that other programmes will experience major changes from next year, including Good Morning Britain and Lorraine.

Beginning in January, Good Morning Britain will receive a 30-minute extension, running from 6am until 9.30am, consequently reducing Lorraine’s programme to just half an hour.

Lorraine will similarly broadcast for only 30 weeks per year, with Good Morning Britain continuing until 10am during the weeks when her show isn’t on.

Discussing these modifications, Kevin Lygo, Managing Director of ITV’s Media and Entertainment Division, commented: “Daytime is a really important part of what we do, and these scheduling and production changes will enable us to continue to deliver a schedule providing viewers with the news, debate and discussion they love from the presenters they know and trust as well generating savings which will allow us to reinvest across the programme budget in other genres.

“These changes also allow us to consolidate our news operations and expand our national, international and regional news output and to build upon our proud history of trusted journalism at a time when our viewers need accurate, unbiased news coverage more than ever.”

Loose Women can be viewed on ITVX