Lorraine Kelly is taking on an exciting new chapter as she joins Channel 4 for a big-budget travel series, a move that marks a major shift after decades at ITV. The much-loved presenter recently jetted off to Norway to begin filming and shared a sneak peek of her snowy adventure with fans, calling it something she had “wanted to do for years and years”.
In a video posted to Instagram, Lorraine gave a glimpse of the trip, saying she was “in the land of the midnight sun” and heading “really, really far north”. Clearly thrilled to be exploring somewhere new, she seemed completely in her element.
A source told The Sun on Sunday that Channel 4 was “delighted to have Lorraine on board” and described the project as an exciting opportunity for her to do something different. “It was exciting for Lorraine to do something different and be on location again,” the insider said.
The timing of this new venture isn’t lost on anyone, as it comes just as big changes are set to hit her long-running ITV morning show. From January, Lorraine will be cut from its usual hour-long slot to just 30 minutes, running from 9.30am to 10am. And that’s not all – instead of airing every weekday all year round, the show will now be limited to just 30 weeks a year.
Good Morning Britain will take over the first half-hour of Lorraine’s usual slot, and in another shake-up, ITV is believed to have scrapped the Head of Lorraine role. Two producers will now report directly to the bosses of This Morning, raising eyebrows among the team.
A show source told The Sun the changes had come as a shock behind the scenes. “They can’t understand why ITV would want to dismantle such a successful rating-busting programme. It’s a great shame,” they said. “The team are gutted.”
But Lorraine’s fans are famously loyal, and insiders believe they’ll support her wherever she goes. One source said, “She’s survived in this business a long time and she’s a master at rolling with the punches.”
They also suggested the recent cuts may have nudged Lorraine to start looking beyond ITV. “This latest shake-up and slimming-down of Lorraine’s dedicated team casts further doubt on the long-term future of the show after her contract finishes next year,” the insider said. “She’s opening her eyes up to the many options available to her.”
And Lorraine herself has dropped hints she’s ready to try something a bit cheekier and more offbeat. Speaking on the Proper Tasty podcast last month, she said, “I think now I can be a lot cheekier. I’ve always been a bit naughty. Not so much in the morning but if I do a wee show on Channel 4, or The Last Leg, or something like that, you can be unleashed. I quite like that.”
ITV, meanwhile, has defended its decision, saying the changes are part of a wider strategy and not a reflection of performance. But as Lorraine steps into this new adventure with Channel 4, one thing’s clear – she’s not done yet. Not by a long shot.
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