Loose Women announced some exciting news for fans on Tuesday – it's finally coming back to our screens following a six-week break amid COVID-19. The daytime favourite will welcome back some of our favourite panellists, including Nadia Sawalha and Stacey Solomon, to air its first live studio episode on Monday 4 May. However, in keeping with social distancing guidelines, there will be some adjustments to the show. Three women will be in the studio with one panellist joining via video link. There will also be some pre-recorded shows across the week, in addition, to live shows on Mondays and Wednesdays to limit the footfall at the studios.
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Loose Women Editor, Sally Shelford said: "At Loose Women we have made it our mission to stop the stigma and start a conversation about mental health, covering issues from postnatal depression to anxiety and addiction. With many of our viewers struggling with lockdown, speaking openly and honestly about mental health worries to offer comfort and advice has never felt more important."
Emma Gormley, Managing Director of ITV Daytime, said: "We are thrilled to be able to bring Loose Women back for brand new shows in the studio from Monday. As we continue to respond to the crisis and adapt our shows accordingly we’ve made some temporary adjustments to enable us to get back on air whilst ensuring the safety of all of our teams. We know our viewers have missed their daily lunchtime catch up with the Loose Women and we look forward to hearing from them all on Monday."
Loose Women will air two live episodes a week
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In March, ITV confirmed that Loose Women and Lorraine were being taken off air until further notice due to coronavirus. In a statement, the broadcaster wrote: "ITV Daytime has taken the decision to stop broadcasting Lorraine and Loose Women live from Monday 23rd March. This decision has been made to minimise the number of staff travelling in and out of our studios and working together on shift at any one time.
"We're focusing our efforts on providing to viewers the latest news on the rapidly changing situation which aims to offer some stability and continuity in all our lives whilst so many of us are at home right now. That’s why we have taken this tough decision to protect our GMB News programme in the morning and keep This Morning on air for as long as possible."
They added: "From Monday we will be running an extended version of Good Morning Britain from 0600 until 10am. At 9am Lorraine Kelly will join Piers in the GMB studio for the last hour and then hand straight over to the This Morning studio with Phillip and Holly as usual running from 10am until 1230pm. We will then run some of our most favourite repeat episodes of Loose Women from 12.30pm to 1.30pm to give viewers something to smile about each day at lunchtime."
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