Good Morning Britain ‘to undergo biggest overhaul in 11 years’ ahead of major change
There are fears it could cause 'mutiny' off-camera.
Good Morning Britain is reportedly set to undergo a major overhaul in the show’s history.
With the likes of Ed Balls, Susanna Reid, and Kate Garraway fronting the ITV breakfast show each weekday from 6am, it’s become a key fixture in the daytime television schedule.
Known colloquially as GMB, it first aired in April 2014, following a similar format to GMTV, which was dissolved in 2010.
With Piers Morgan previously a regular host and with frequent fiery debates taking place between opinionated guests on air, GMB has never been a show to shy away from controversy or making headlines.
But now, there are said to be fears of ‘mutiny’ off-camera, as a huge shake-up could result in job losses.
A source explained to MailOnline that bosses are keen to increase the programme’s ratings, given that BBC Breakfast is currently beating GMB in the figures war by 400,000.
The breakfast show has been on air since 2014 (Picture: ITV/REX/Shutterstock) GMB has had its fair share of hosts, with Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid being one of the most memorable duos (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/REX)So, with more than one million tuning in for the Beeb’s alternative in comparison with GMB’s 700k, it’s believed execs want to give Good Morning Britain a revamp.
All changes are yet to be decided, but one option is moving to a new studio, while another is fiddling around with the format to make GMB more ‘serious’.
It’s also been said that the breakfast programme will be merged with ITV’s news operation, produced by ITN.
Union chiefs representing those working on GMB are thought to have voiced ‘concern’ via internal memos that the plans will put people’s employment at risk.
However, insiders claim this isn’t certain.
‘Obviously, any talk of major change starts panic—lots of the staff were immediately worried about the security of their jobs,’ a TV source began.
Bosses are said to be looking at how they can increase ratings (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock) Union reps are reportedly worried about job losses (Picture: ITV/REX/Shutterstock)‘This is about streamlining ITV’s news output across the whole day, and having separate teams doubling up just doesn’t make sense.
‘So it may well be that some correspondents end up appearing across the whole day’s schedule, rather than being specifically attached to GMB or ITV News.’
They added that the makeover could lead to ‘a new set and a new feel, and a more continuous feel to ITV’s news bulletins throughout the whole day as a result.’
‘But people are very much likely to lose their jobs, so there is a lot of upset, anger and, in some cases, mutiny.’
Good Morning Britain covers a variety of segments, including world news, entertainment, weather, politics, sports, and competitions, as well as local news.
Through the years, it has also aired several spin-offs, including GMB Today, which was a temporary replacement for Lorraine during its 2017 summer break.
Could an overhaul be a good thing for GMB? (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock) Comment nowDo you think a shake-up could be good for GMB?Comment NowThe following year, a special edition titled Good Evening Britain followed the England vs. Belgium World Cup football match and included live celebrity reactions.
Special episodes have also covered Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding, tributes to Sir Captain Tom Moore after his death, and the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.
Time slot-wise, GMB not only competes with BBC Breakfast but also Sky News Breakfast with Kay Burley and GB News Breakfast with Eamonn Holmes.
The show is currently hosted by Reid, Garraway, Balls, Charlotte Hawkins, Ranvir Singh, Richard Madeley, Adil Ray, and Robert Rinder.
ITV has been contacted for comment.
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us [email protected], calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
