The stars of Loose Women have hit back at persistent rumours of behind-the-scenes drama that have often been associated with the show.
Over the years, the ITV daytime show has been at the centre of several “feud” reports, including back in January, when widely-refuted claims of drama involving Coleen Nolan and other panellists were published in the tabloid press.
However, in a new interview with OK! magazine, Loose Women staple Jane Moore shot down speculation that things between the group can get tense when the cameras stop rolling.
“In the ad breaks, we’ll say, ‘that [debate] was a bit fiery, wasn’t it?’,” Jane told the magazine. ”[But] I have an issue when people say, ‘Jane Moore and Nadia Sawalha cat fight on Loose Women’. Please, come on, we’re past that.
“They never do it about two blokes on a news programme and it’s so lame. Let’s move on, we’re not in the 1950s anymore. But we take it in our stride and get on with it.”
Meanwhile, anchor Charlene White branded reports about Loose Women feuds “absolute nonsense”, insisting: “When you’re on the outside looking in and you see all those stories… written about the ladies on the panel, you have an impression of what it’s going to be like. Then you walk into this amazing group of women and realise that everyone’s incredibly supportive.”
New recruit Katie Piper agreed, insisting there was “genuine camaraderie” between the show’s team of presenters.
Jane, Charlene and Katie’s co-star Frankie Bridge recently called out the double standard when it comes to reporting about the Loose Women panellists.
“When I first went on the show, I was nervous because I’ve read about all these feuds,” she told The Sun. “I think it’s sad that this doesn’t happen on something like A League of Their Own with a group of men. It’s just not mentioned. And coming from a girl band, it’s exactly the same thing.
“Everyone always wants women to fight and it’s a real shame that it undoes all the good that Loose Women does.”
Read the Loose Women presenters’ full interview with OK! magazine here. Loose Women airs ever weekday from 12.30pm on ITV.