Loose Women sees two new stars join show – but 'iconic panelist set to quit'

16 February 2024 , 20:32

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Loose Women sees two new stars join show – but 'iconic panelist set to quit'

Loose Women welcomed two new additions to its panel amid a huge ITV presenting shake-up.

During Friday's episode of the daytime TV show, host Kaye Adams and panelist Nadia Sawalha were joined by I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here winner Sam Thompson and professional Strictly Come Dancing's Johannes Radebe. And this is a marked change to the show's usual format of an all female panel.

And it looks as though both Sam and Johannes went down a storm among viewers. Taking to social media one fan wrote: "@jojo_radebe you were brilliant on #LooseWomen as was Sam, but you have to get @SamThompsonUK on @bbcstrictly."

Sam Thompson and Strictly's Johannes Radebe appeared on Friday's episode of Loose Women as new additions to the panel (Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

Another person said: "I loved Johannes and Sam on the panel today. Great show." Meanwhile a third penned: "Loose Women & Men with Sam Thompson!!! love this guy." However, this comes after former Loose Women presenter Carol McGiffin spoke out following reports that both Janet Street-Porter and Jane Moore were left unimpressed by the show's new contract.

And now Jane and Janet are said to be in talks with ITV bosses who want them to sign the document saying they are permanent employees rather than freelance journalists. The new contract is also part of the reason why Carol quit the show last year. Writing in her Best column, Carol said: "It’s apparently the same issue that I had with them last year."

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She added: "I’m pretty sure – if their issues are the same as mine – ITV won’t back back down." She also claimed that this would mean "intelligent" presenter Janet "will follow me out of the door." Janet first appeared on the show in 1999 until 2002 before returning in 2013.

The row is said to be down to ITV’s new PAYE-only contracts policy, in response to HMRC’s policy on off-payroll working rules that ensures freelancers pay the same income tax and national insurance as employees. Sources have claimed that Janet and Jane, who have both been freelance for many years are "furious" over the "unacceptable" contract change, which does not offer holiday, sick pay or pensions and also forbids some work opportunities. Jane only appeared on the show 10 times last year.

A source told MailOnline: “Jane and Janet are furious. They have done such a lot of work for that show and they love it – but they do work across different companies and, as journalists, value their independent status. Things have got pretty tense. If it carries on, there might be a big change to the line-up.”

Speaking in May last year, Carol said “no one in their right mind” would sign the contract which she called “totally unjust and unworkable for me”. And during an appearance on GB News, the TV star said she no longer watches the show and claimed it’s become too "woke" for her.

Lucretia Munro