Lorraine Kelly 'set to stay with the ITV family and sign a new deal imminently'
Lorraine Kelly is set to sign a new contract with ITV following reports she could move to the BBC.
Lorraine Kelly is reportedly set to sign a new contract with ITV.
The star is said to be staying as she is popular with the network's viewers.
It comes after reports she is moving to the BBC after claims she had not signed a new contract, with her current one believed to expire next year, since ITV's budget cuts forced her eponymous show's on-air time to be slashed from an hour to 30 minutes, and on a 30-week "seasonal basis".
A source told DigitalSpy.com: "Lorraine is a much-loved, popular face on ITV and a well-respected presenter and journalist.
"Other broadcasters recognise her natural brilliance at live presenting and have been trying for years to poach her away, but to no avail.
"She has always been loyal to ITV and their millions of viewers who have supported her throughout her career, and is set to stay with the ITV family and sign a new deal imminently."
Lorraine, 66, has been a face of ITV's morning programming for over 40 years, joining TV-am in 1984 and being one of the launch presenters of GMTV in 1993.
But on June 7, The Mail on Sunday reported that the network's brutal budget cuts, which came into force in January, may have made Lorraine consider moving to the BBC.
A source said there is a "real buzz around the development team" over the prospect of working with Lorraine.
The insider added: "She's stayed loyal to ITV for more than four decades, but the BBC know the time is right to finally get her. They are currently creating different shows to present to her.
"There is no better way to get her revenge than to start working for the BBC. Lorraine is popular, and she's a professional.
"She's also so relatable; she's in her mid-60s, like so many viewers. There are some BBC bosses who think she will be just perfect."
ITV insiders would not be surprised if she defected.
A source said: "Lorraine was devastated by the culling of her show and the staff working on it.
"Now the BBC have come knocking, it's unlikely she will stay at ITV. It would literally be the biggest defection from ITV to the Beeb in many years."
Lorraine was upset by ITV's brutal budget cuts, which led to members of her team losing their jobs.
Appearing on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, she said: "I was disappointed, of course I was. This is the world that we live in now.
"Things have to change, I mean, I've been through so many regime changes in my life.
"For me, this is just another one, but it's seismic. The thing that has upset me the most is the fact that we've got this great team, and obviously, that's not going to be in place next year because jobs will go.
"Hopefully I'll be able to hang on to some of these amazing people - that's my aim. It's very, very sad. It really is."
