This Morning and Loose Women were both pulled from the air on Thursday as police responded to a security alert outside the shows’ studios.
Around 12.10pm, This Morning’s live episode, which was being hosted by Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield, was suddenly replaced with an emergency broadcast featuring highlights from previous episodes.
A pre-recorded episode of Loose Women then followed at 12.30pm on ITV, instead of its scheduled live broadcast.
While no explanation was given on screen for the sudden change, there was an incident unfolding outside the Television Centre on Wood Lane in west London.
A tweet from an official Transport For London (TfL) Twitter account reported that White City and Wood Lane underground stations – which are located directly opposite Television Centre – were closed “while the police respond to a security alert outside the station”.
An ITV worker also confirmed to HuffPost UK that staff had been evacuated from Television Centre.
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police has since said (via The Mirror) that a “suspicious item” had been discovered, with the incident now having been stood down.
“At 11:14hrs on Thursday, 10 March, police were called to reports of a security alert at Wood Lane, White City. It was reported a suspicious item had been discovered,” they said.
“The area was evacuated as a precaution and White City and Wood Lane tube stations were temporarily closed. The incident was stood down shortly before 12:49hrs. An investigation is ongoing.”
ITV moved production of its daytime shows, including Good Morning Britain and Lorraine, from its former studios on London’s Southbank to Television Centre in 2018.
The iconic building was previously owned by the BBC, and was redeveloped after the corporation sold it in 2013.
It now comprises homes, a hotel, a private members club and other hospitality venues, as well as three TV studios.