Charlene White has addressed Carol McGiffin’s exit from Loose Women.
Carol made headlines earlier this month when she told Best magazine she felt she “had to step away from” the panel due to an apparent contract issue, having last appeared on the ITV daytime show over two months ago.
She has since gone on to accuse the show of going “very, very woke” in an interview on GB News, admitting she no longer watches the show.
Charlene was asked about Carol’s exit and subsequent comments in an interview with The Sun, to which she said: “I miss Carol hugely, I’ve always had incredible banter with Carol in our morning meetings together and we had so much fun.
“I understand her reason for leaving - we are all individuals and all see things in our own individual way. It’s a huge shame, the show will really miss her.”
Charlene went on to explain that she is “not a fan” of the word ‘woke’ and is a “big believer in diversity and inclusion and equality”.
“We are on a show that promotes debate and we have debates between us and that’s one of the joys of the programme we work on,” the ITV journalist said.
“We can have different opinions but we are all friends at the end of the day and you see that on the programme.”
Speaking previously to Best magazine, Carol said she felt her decision to quit was one she was “forced to make”.
“The problem was, ITV were insisting, for the first time since I went back in 2018, that if I wanted to carry on doing the show, I would have to sign a contract that was totally unjust and unworkable for me, so I had to say ‘no thanks,’” she said.
“I feel quite upset about it, if I’m honest, because although it is my decision, I felt like it was one I was being forced to make. No one in their right mind would have signed that contract. And I can’t see a way back from it.”
An ITV spokesperson later told Metro: “ITV will not comment on or disclose details of individual contracts but all ITV contracts comply with the required employment and HMRC legislation.”
ITV also spoke out after it was claimed in the Daily Mail that Carol was “forced to quit” after sharing “conspiracy” theories about Covid during an appearance on TNT Radio.
Responding to these rumours, a spokesperson told HuffPost UK: “ITV will not comment on speculation around individual contracts.
“We understand that Carol has decided to leave Loose Women and we wish her well in any future projects.”
Carol first joined Loose Women in 2003, appearing consistently for a decade before leaving in 2013, and eventually returning five years later.
Since her Loose Women comeback, Carol has been met with a backlash on numerous occasions, most notably after remarks she made in support of former US president Donald Trump and comments about the Capitol insurrection in January 2021.