Loose Women unexpectedly vanished from ITV’s daytime schedule on Wednesday, after the network made a surprise decision to pull the popular talk show off-air immediately — a move that left many viewers confused and asking what happened.
Loose Women has been cancelled on Wednesday in a surprising shake-up to ITV’s usual daytime TV lineup, with Ruth Langsford telling viewers on Tuesday: ‘That is it for today I am afraid. We are not on tomorrow because of the budget’
The announcement came directly from panelist Ruth Langsford, 65, during Tuesday’s broadcast, as the presenters wrapped up their discussion of breaking news and trending topics. With little warning, Ruth told audiences: “That is it for today, I’m afraid. We are not on tomorrow because of the budget.”
The presenter went on to explain that the show would be back at its usual time of 12:30pm on Thursday
Although Loose Women has already been impacted by ITV’s major budget cuts — reducing its yearly run from 52 weeks to just 30 — Ruth’s comment appeared to refer specifically to Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ 2026 budget statement, which was delivered the day before and triggered coverage across the network. Upcoming national changes include a rise in both minimum and living wages, as well as significant tax adjustments.
Ruth reassured viewers the show would return to its usual 12:30 p.m. slot on Thursday. But the sudden disruption still sparked conversation online, especially as the absence adds to a period of unusual turbulence surrounding the show’s panelists.
Just last week, Ruth seemed to make a subtle — but noticeable — swipe at her ex-husband Eamonn Holmes. The pair, once one of ITV’s most beloved presenting couples, ended their 27-year relationship in 2024 following allegations of infidelity. Eamonn has since gone public with new partner Katie Alexander.
During a discussion about former Prime Minister David Cameron’s cancer diagnosis and the role partners play in each other’s health, panellist Myleene Klass noted that married men often live longer thanks to their wives’ encouragement. “Women live longer when they aren’t married,” she joked. Ruth, newly single, laughed and replied, “Good to know!”
More recently, Ruth addressed rumours that she had quietly moved on with a “mystery man.” Social media had circulated an image claiming she had reunited with a childhood sweetheart. But Ruth revealed the truth live on Loose Women: the man in the photo was AI-generated — and the entire story was fabricated. “Friends were ringing me,” she said. “Apparently I met this man when I grew up in Belfast — which I didn’t — and now it’s come full circle. Terrible, isn’t it?”
She added that, despite the gossip, she remains single. Some viewers even joked she should stay that way, given the statistic that single women tend to live longer.
The issue of deepfake misinformation didn’t stop there. Fellow panelist Janet Street-Porter recently revealed she was the victim of a disturbing AI death hoax. Fake images of her lying in a hospital bed were posted on Facebook, claiming she was dying. During a discussion on the show, they even displayed one of the fabricated photos, captioned: “She tried to stay strong… until her body said ‘no more.’”
Janet expressed her fury: “I was shocked. First of all, I’m in the middle of a national tour — I’m NOT dead! I want people to buy tickets right through until April.” She criticised social platforms for failing to remove the false posts immediately, calling the situation “disgusting.”
Despite the online chaos, the Loose Women team remains at the heart of ITV’s daytime roster — even with the occasional abrupt cancellation. And although viewers will miss their Wednesday dose of debates and drama, the show returns Thursday, ready to pick up where the conversation left off.
