Penny Lancaster has not stepped down from the Loose Women panel.
© Ken McKay/ITV/ShutterstockNicholas Young, Penny's agent, has responded to the ongoing speculation with an official statement, telling HELLO!: "There is no story here. Penny has been approached to appear on the show in September but is only available for one date in the near future; a date that does not work for LW.
"Penny has just returned from abroad after six weeks away; and she is off to South America shortly. LW and we have agreed to look at the diary again on her return in October.
© Gareth Cattermole"It is obvious that Penny is no longer a regular panellist. This is purely due to other professional and personal commitments. Penny loves the show; and LW loves Penny. But such appearances as she is able to make in the future will be as a 'guest.'"
An ITV spokesperson said: "Penny is a much-loved part of the award-winning Loose Women family and it is always a pleasure to have her on the show. We look forward to her joining us again soon."
As of September 2014, Penny was billed as an occasional panellist, before being promoted to a regular panellist on series 25. Lately, however, her appearances have become far less frequent. As mentioned in the above statement, Penny has been busy travelling and has been posting photos from Los Angeles and Marbella.
While Penny has refuted reports of a toxic work environment at Loose Women, the relationship between the show's stars has come into question before. Speaking to the Mirror in August 2023, former Loose Women agent Melanie Blake said: "Considering I represented over 15 women on that show, I am only friends with Saira Khan.
"But I am in such a positive career space right now, it's just not a period of time I want to relive. But I can confirm in my experience, it's that show that's a cut-throat place to work and not This Morning."
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Melanie added: "Despite the party line of the Loose Women having been the best of friends from day one, it's simply that, a party line. Just because you get a job sitting next to each other, doesn't mean you're going to be friends. There were a lot of egos in my era, so it's not a show I want my new agency to represent stars from again.
"I don't watch it any more – it's like a toxic ex, you just want to move on. I'd literally cross the road to avoid former clients from that show. But hey, my work on the show did buy me a massive house, so every cloud!"
