Loose Women star Nadia Sawalha has admitted that she’s ‘totally devastated’ after revealing her ‘dear friend’ has been axed from the ITV show.

The popular lunchtime programme, which premiered in 1999, has made headlines in recent weeks after a number of changes.

Just last month it was revealed that Loose Women and Lorraine have been axed for half of the year, as ITV Daytime bosses announced huge cuts with job losses in excess of 220.

This was then followed by the news that they are going to AXE a vital part of the programme – the live audience – and this means that one of her pals will be left jobless.

Addressing the change on a recent episode of her podcast Coffee Moaning, alongside her husband Mark Adeley, Nadia said: ‘From next year there will be no Loose Women audience.

‘I am totally devastated by this fact, I can’t get over it at all.

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Loose Women star Nadia Sawalha has admitted that she’s ‘totally devastated’ after revealing her ‘dear friend’ has been AXED from the ITV show

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The popular lunchtime programme, which premiered in 1999, has been hitting headlines in recent weeks after a number of changes – including their live audience getting axed

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Comedian, broadcaster and presenter Lee Peart (pictured) has been part of the team after joining the programme as the warm-up act in 2017

‘Not only because the audience is so important for the show, but also my dear friend Lee who I work with every day.’

Comedian, broadcaster and presenter Lee Peart has been part of the team after joining the programme as the warm-up act in 2017.

The bio on his website states: ‘Lee gigs at all the major comedy clubs across the UK, and has previously supported Jason Manford and Steff Todd on tour.

‘As well as being the resident warm-up act for ITV’s Loose Women, he has also warmed up audiences for some of the biggest shows on TV, including Strictly Come Dancing, Britain’s Got Talent, Netflix’s Dance Monsers and Love Island: Aftersun, and was the main stage warm-up for This Morning Live & Loose Women Late.’

An insider said: ‘While there is a proposal to not have a studio audience for Loose Women from 2026, that doesn’t necessarily mean that we’ll never have a studio audience again, it just won’t be in the same way as it is now.

‘At this stage we are still exploring new ways of working and producing the show when we move to a new studio next year. ‘

MailOnline revealed the series are scrapping their live studio audience when the programme airs with a reduced schedule of just 30 episodes next year.

Bosses have got rid of the studio audience to save costs, with insiders revealing that it’s an expensive feature due to being managed by an external company, who also provides security and a warmup person, but for the presenters, it’s going to be a ‘disaster.’

It comes after ITV announced dramatic budget cuts to their daytime schedule from halving Lorraine to 30 minutes and only airing the show during school term times to cutting Loose Women’s output to 30 weeks a year.

And sources have told MailOnline how key talent on Loose Women are ‘upset’ to see the live studio audience go because it’s what sets the season apart from Lorraine and Good Morning Britain amid fears viewers will ‘switch off’ altogether.

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Lee pictured on Good Morning Britain back in 2022

A TV source told MailOnline: ‘The panelists are really upset over the decision to axe the live studio audience from the show.

‘It’s what sets the series apart from the rest of ITV daytime and now there are massive fears that viewers will switch off completely.

‘The only concern now is to cut costs and having a live studio audience can be expensive, with the added need for security and a warmup artist.

‘Presenters already know how it feels to broadcast the show without an audience because that’s what happened during the pandemic, and they all know it creates low mood and lack of atmosphere.’

It comes after it was revealed on Monday after that the Loose Women has been cancelled in yet another ITV schedule shake-up.

The programme usually airs Monday to Friday from 12:30pm to 1:30pm on the popular channel.

Unfortunately though, Loose Women fans will have to wait until Monday 23 June 2025.

At the end of Monday’s episode, host Ruth Langsford, 65, said: ‘That’s it from us today, I’m afraid and actually it gets worse…

‘We’re not on all week!’

She continued: ‘ITV’s coverage of Ascot will be on, but we will be next Monday, same time 12:30pm, until then, have a lovely week.

‘Enjoy the sunshine if you have it. Bye!

Instead, This Morning has been airing from 10am to 1pm this week.