|
|
|
|
Loose Women
|
| |
|
| |
Loose Women is a British televised magazine programme, which was first broadcast in 1999 on ITV. It consists of a panel of four women who interview celebrities and discuss topical issues, ranging from daily politics and current affairs, to celebrity gossip and sexism, in front of a studio audience.
When it began, the series was filmed in London. After the second series in 2000, the show moved to a Manchester studio and was briefly re-branded as Live Talk.
Discussion
Ask a question about 'Loose Women' Start a new discussion about 'Loose Women' Answer questions from other users |
Encyclopedia
Loose Women is a British televised magazine programme, which was first broadcast in 1999 on ITV. It consists of a panel of four women who interview celebrities and discuss topical issues, ranging from daily politics and current affairs, to celebrity gossip and sexism, in front of a studio audience.
Production
- Series 1: 6 September 1999-1 October 1999
- Series 2: 4 January 2000-20 April 2000
- Series 3: 2 September 2002-27 September 2002
- Series 4: 28 April 2003-13 June 2003
- Series 5: 21 July 2003-5 September 2003
- Series 6: 14 June 2004-1 October 2004
- Series 7: 11 April 2005-3 June 2005
- Series 8: 22 August 2005-4 November 2005
- Series 9: 27 February 2006-5 May 2006
- Series 10: 18 September 2006-22 December 2006
- Series 11: 15 January 2007-10 August 2007
- Series 12: 3 September 2007-8 August 2008
- Series 13: 1 September 2008-August 2009
When it began, the series was filmed in London. After the second series in 2000, the show moved to a Manchester studio and was briefly re-branded as Live Talk. In 2002, Loose Women returned for a third run and by the fourth series a year later, it had moved to a studio in Norwich. For series six in 2004, the show returned to The London Studios where it has remained in Studio 3, although the set has been updated twice. The show enjoys high viewing figures in its daytime slot, and, since 2007, has aired all year round, with only a short hiatus at Christmas and a longer 'end-of season' break in August. Of the five weekday shows, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday are broadcast live, while Wednesday's edition is pre-recorded on Monday evening and Friday's is filmed on Thursday evening.
Panel
The panel comprises four women from various professions in the entertainment and journalism industries, including actresses, singers, authors, presenters and reporters. Although all four women are classed as presenters in the credits, one acts as the main anchor, linking to breaks and competitions and addressing the television audience. Kaye Adams and Nadia Sawalha were the original anchors, and Adams held on to role for the first ten series until the end of 2006, when she left to go on maternity leave. Adams was expected to return for a new series, but in August 2007 she confirmed in her newspaper column that after 7 years, she decided that she wanted to move on to other projects and would not be returning. Occasionally regular panelists such as Carol McGiffin and Denise Welch assume the position of anchor and there have been guest hosts, such as Carole Malone and Ruth Langsford. However, since 2007, the job has been mainly shared by Jackie Brambles and Andrea McLean who alternate throughout the week. The panelists also alternate throughout the week, with three of them appearing on each show.
Current team
Currently, the Loose Women team consists of;
Presenters
Panelists
Loose @ 5.30
Loose @ 5.30 aired at 5.30pm on ITV for two weeks from Monday, 29 May 2006. This teatime version of Loose Women was a slight twist on the original format because the panel was composed of both men and women for the first time. Kaye Adams and Ted Robbins anchored each show with two more panellists, sometimes both female but usually another male and female.
The other panelists included Sherrie Hewson, Jane McDonald, Carol McGiffin, Coleen Nolan and Denise Welch from the Loose Women team and former Loose Women guests Jason Gardiner and Jeff Brazier. The spin-off did not prove popular and Loose Women was moved back to its original lunchtime slot and is currently being shown weekdays at 12.30pm on ITV.
Controversies
In 2004, panelist Jenni Trent Hughes made headlines in the UK after she confessed that she had secretly had an orgasm live on air, while Loose Women was being broadcast. She said: "You learn how to do it in your head. I once did it sitting here. With my hands up. It was because of a guest". Hughes then revealed that it was caused by her attraction to guest, Martin Shaw.
In 2005, guest Dame Eileen Atkins — who was 70 at the time — revealed on Loose Women that a "stunningly gorgeous big film star" spent nearly three hours propositioning her for "sex with no strings". The "star" was later revealed to be actor Colin Farrell, whom Atkins had acted alongside in the film, Ask The Dust. Atkins claimed she was tempted, but turned him down because he is 42 years her junior.
On 17 June 2008, comedienne Joan Rivers was a guest on the show and made an error by not realising that the show was completely live and not recorded. She appeared to believe that the producers would "bleep" her swearing and said the words "fucking shit", referring to film star Russell Crowe, which subsequently went live to the public on ITV at approximately 1pm in the afternoon. The co-hosts immediately apologised for Rivers' outburst and during the commercial break she was asked to leave the set and not invited to come back for her final segment. A spokesperson for the show says, "Guests are always briefed that it is a live daytime show and are reminded not to swear or use inappropriate language. An editorial decision was taken that Joan Rivers should not appear in the final part of the programme. We would like to apologise to Loose Women viewers for the inappropriate language used on today's show." Rivers, for her part, finds it all quite funny. "I said: 'I apologise.' Everyone apologised. It was hilariously funny," she says. Joan adds that this was the first time she had been removed from a TV show in 40 years and she was "thrilled".
Criticism
On 6 June 2008, the programme was criticised by British newspaper The Guardian as offensive and hateful to both men and women, for being sexist, and a case of feminism gone too far due to the concept of having a politically incorrect representation of an all-female cast of panelists.
The Paul Schrader and Steve Blanchard Controversy
In December 2008, Paul and Steve appeared on the show to promote their new projects. They were to remain as permanent guests throughout the remainder on the show, but it is claimed Carol McGiffin made lewd gestures to Steve during the commercial break and was told to stop by fellow panellist Sherrie Hewson, to which Schrader reportedly replied "get your mind out of the sewer and back into Wonder Woman. As a result, the pair said they will not appear on the show again as long as McGiffin is on the show at that time.
DVD release
In late 2008, ITV released Let Loose: The Very Best Of Loose Women, a DVD featuring highlights of Series 12. The DVD is introduced by Jackie Brambles & Coleen Nolan, with Jane McDonald & Carol McGiffin giving an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the set at The London Studios.
Awards
List of panelists
The following table lists present and former Loose Women panelists, and the years they have been active.
NOTE: Carol McGiffin is the only person to have appeared since it has started.
External links
|
| |
|
|
