The Loose Women stars announced some exciting news during their ITV daytime show today, welcoming fans back into their studio as live audiences are set to return in September.
For the first time in two years, the likes of Coleen Nolan, Janet Street-Porter and Ruth Langsford will be sat in front of a real audience, after more than two years during the pandemic.
Sharing the news, Coleen said: ‘Over the past two and a half years it has been a bit lonely and empty in here.
‘We’ve got our lovely crew, but sorry crew, as much as we love you, it’s not quite enough.
‘This studio needs filling up, so from early September, we are bringing back the studio audience, guys.’
She continued: ‘It’s going to be nerve-wracking because it’s been so long,’ adding: ‘It will be nice in all the breaks to have them to talk to.
Christine Lampard added: ‘We’ve actually really missed having a studio audience. It’s just us here, it’ll be so lovely to see you all coming back.’
However, not long after announcing the news, Christine shared that the website where fans could apply for tickets had already crashed.
Among the rotating presenters, Frankie Bridge and Charlene White have never presented in front of a live audience, having joined during the pandemic.
Janet joked: ‘Now when the audience is here, I’ll have to do bigger wider smiles,’ with Jane quipping: ‘Like you’ve got wind!’
Things sounded very different on the show the first time the studio audience weren’t present, back in March 2020, as Andrea McLean, Stacey Solomon, Saira Khan and Jane Moore walked out on set, with just the show’s floor manager whooping enthusiastically.
Andrea told viewers watching at home: ‘We’re back but before we carry on you might have noticed that things look and sound very different today.
‘It is of course a precautionary measure because of coronavirus, but rest assured that we are still here.’
Jane joked: ‘We have a very enthusiastic floor manager,’ as Andrea commented that things felt ‘very strange’ in the studio without the live audience watching on.
Stacey added: ‘It’s so weird.. I feel like when you’re a bit naughty at school.’
Loose Women airs weekdays from 12.30 on ITV.
