Lorraine Kelly will be absent from Lorraine for several weeks, ITV has confirmed, following her health issues. This announcement comes after the Scottish TV icon was replaced earlier this week by Ben Shephard from This Morning.
Christine Lampard, who filled in for Lorraine on Friday (March 6), broke the news to viewers that the show wouldn’t be airing for some time. She had been substituting for Lorraine due to her absence over the past few days, with This Morning’s Ben Shephard taking over the role the day before.
“Lorraine Will Be Off for Weeks”
At the end of the show, Christine told the audience: “That’s all for today, Lorraine will be back in a few weeks’ time. Have a lovely weekend. See you soon.”
Concerns About Lorraine’s Health
Earlier this week, ITV viewers expressed concern for Lorraine Kelly after she sounded noticeably unwell. The 66-year-old TV star had been struggling with a hoarse voice, with Good Morning Britain’s Susanna Reid pointing it out during a Tuesday (March 3) crossover.
Lorraine replied at the time: “It’s terrible. I know, it sounds awful… It’s really strange.”
The following day, Lorraine gave an update, thanking viewers for their concern. She opened the show saying, “It actually sounds worse than it is. I’ve got ginger and honey, so many of you recommended that.”
She also mentioned that Dr. Amir had confirmed the sore throat was not “infectious,” adding, “My voice is getting a little bit better, it’s actually not too bad, and the good news is I’m not infectious.”
However, as the week went on, it seemed Lorraine’s condition hadn’t improved, with Ben Shephard informing viewers that she had completely lost her voice. Speaking to Kate Garraway during a crossover, he said, “Unfortunately, if you’ve been watching this week, Lorraine’s voice has been getting very bad.”
Christine continued to fill in, confirming that Lorraine’s voice had “collapsed” completely, leaving her unable to speak except for a few “squeaks.”
Lorraine’s Return
Lorraine continues weekdays on ITV from 9:30am, with the return of Lorraine Kelly expected in a few weeks.
