Entertainment

Loose Women returns to ITV with panellists observing social distancing rules

The programme was filmed in a larger studio than usual to help the presenters and crew keep their distance from each other.
The programme was filmed in a larger studio than usual to help the presenters and crew keep their distance from each other. The programme was filmed in a larger studio than usual to help the presenters and crew keep their distance from each other.

Loose Women has returned to TV screens for a live show with social distancing measures in place after taking a break for six weeks.

Panellists Andrea McLean, Nadia Sawalha and Brenda Edwards presented the programme from a television studio and were joined by Coleen Nolan via video-link from her home.

The three presenters in the studio sat a distance away from each on a long desk while they discussed topics such as coping with parenthood during the pandemic and the pressures it places on family life.

McLean told viewers that the show was being broadcast from the studio which is normally used by Saturday Night Takeaway and the panellists and crew are “observing social distancing”.

She added: “Look how massive this studio is.

“We have borrowed their huge studio so that we can make sure that we are all staying safe.

“What it means is we are literally this little island of light in this huge dark room with no audience and just us.”

The daytime ITV show had initially stopped broadcasting in March because of the coronavirus pandemic.

During the show, Nolan said she is glad she and her ex-husband had sorted out their divorce before the lockdown began.

She said it would have been “horrendous” if she had to go through the lockdown as a married couple with Ray Fensome.

She added: “Since we have got divorced we have become the friends that we should have just always remained.

“We are such good friends and I would very happily be in lockdown with him because we would have such a laugh and it wouldn’t be that pressure of we’re a married couple.”

McLean also told viewers that mental health problems she experienced last year have helped her to cope with the lockdown.

The host told the other panellists that she had been in a “dark place”, adding: “I had a breakdown last year, which is not something I have necessarily spoken about, but I did.”

She said this meant that her family had already started “calming our lives” before the social distancing measures were brought in.

At the end of the programme, McLean said the presenters had loved returning to Loose Women.

She added: “Can we just say how brilliant it is to be back and we will see you tomorrow.”

Tuesday’s episode will see the panellists discuss whether people should turn into “doorstep detectives” during the pandemic, she said.