Christine Lampard has landed a new presenting role during a shake-up in ITV’s daytime schedule.
The broadcaster will join This Morning as a presenter during the summer break while regular hosts Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley are off-air.
ITV’s cost-cutting measures have led to Loose Women being reduced to a 30-week format, leaving Ms Lampard free for new opportunities.
Loose Women star Christine Lampard lands new ITV role
ITV and This Morning announced on Instagram on Thursday that Ms Lampard will host the show alongside Craig Doyle.
Other summer hosting pairings include Paddy McGuinness and Josie Gibson, Andi Peters and Rochelle Humes, Craig Doyle and Angela Scanlon, Josie Gibson and Rylan Clark, and Sian Welby with Joel Dommett.
Fans welcomed the news, with one writing: "Christine and Craig, our Irish duo." Another said: "Christine and Craig will be a blast along with the others," while a third added: "Loving the Craig and Christine combo."
Ms Lampard has appeared on This Morning as a stand-in presenter since 2013 and became a regular anchor in 2016.
The changes to ITV’s daytime schedule were introduced in January and have also affected Lorraine, which now airs for just 30 minutes per episode, 30 weeks a year.
The shake-up comes as part of ITV’s efforts to save £35 million, which included more than 220 job cuts.
Kevin Lygo, managing director of ITV’s media and entertainment division, said the changes were necessary to balance audience needs with financial sustainability.
Mr Lygo said: "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 as 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."
He added: "Daytime has been a core element of ITV’s schedule for over 40 years and these changes will set ITV up to continue to bring viewers award-winning news, views, and discussion as we enter our eighth decade."
Rachel Burden leaves BBC Breakfast amid budget cuts
ITV is not the only TV company going through changes due to budget cuts.
The BBC is implementing an £80 million reduction in content spending, with Sunday editions of BBC Breakfast among the programming affected.
BBC director-general Matt Brittin, who took up the role in May, announced that 550 of the planned 1,800 to 2,000 job cuts will come from BBC News and related television and radio roles.
He said: "The scale of savings requires tough choices, careful work and won’t all be ready at once.
"We are committed to letting you know as soon as we have plans in your area.
"All divisions will be making significant savings… We live in very uncertain times.
"Making savings while fulfilling our mission means a doubly difficult time for everyone.
"Do speak to your leaders and use the support that’s available.
"In the meantime, thank you for all you are doing."
As part of the changes, BBC Breakfast presenter Rachel Burden confirmed her departure from the show after more than a decade on the sofa.
Her exit came as part of the wider changes and budget cuts, with the BBC planning to save £500 million over the next two years.
Burden, who first joined BBC Breakfast in 2015, has served as a regular presence on Sunday mornings for more than 10 years.
Rachel Burden began her journalism career at BBC Radio Suffolk before moving to BBC Radio Bristol.
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She joined Radio 5 Live in 2003, taking over the weekday breakfast show in May 2011 alongside Nicky Campbell.
She started presenting on BBC Breakfast in 2015, primarily covering Sundays and stepping in for main presenters during holidays or absences.
Cathy Sweet, head of TV and film at Equity, said previously: "These are devastating cuts that will be felt across the creative industries and risk BBC audiences and our nation being poorer, with the BBC unable to live up to its aim to inform, educate and entertain."
What do you think about the changes and budget cuts at BBC and ITV? Let us know in the comments.
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