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Carol McGiffin takes huge swipe at Loose Women as Denise Welch exits

Carol McGiffin has hit out at Loose Women after Denise Welch suddenly quit, claiming that she is surprised her friend and co-star managed to stay for so long in the first place

[Carol McGiffin]

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Carol McGiffin has hit out at Loose Women after Denise Welch quit (Image: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

Carol McGiffin has hit out at Loose Women after Denise Welch suddenly quit. The broadcaster, 66, was a fixture on the ITV lunchtime chat show herself for several years, and often shared the desk with former Coronation Street star Denise.

But when Denise, 69, announced she had decided to leave the programme after more than 20 years so she could focus on her acting career, Carol, who quit in 2023, took to the comments section of her post to have a dig at the long-running programme.

She said: "Baaaabes, [three clapping emojis] can't believe you stuck it out for so long! Upwards and upwards it is then. I wont see you up there but hope to see you down here sometime."

Carol initially appeared on Loose Women from 2000 until 2013, and, along with Denise, returned to the desk five years later. But three years ago, the former Celebrity Big Brother star made her final appearance on the panel.

[Coleen Nolan, Sherrie Hewson, Carol McGiffin, Jane McDonald and Denise Welch]

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Carol and Denise spent several years on the panel together (Image: PA)

Carol said previously she decided it was time to go as she expressed frustration about being told what to say or not to say on air. She accused the show of becoming 'too woke' and said she'd be told off about her wardrobe choices and exposing too much of her arms. Around the time of her exit, Carol had also sparked backlash by accusing the media of 'brainwashing' the public over the effects of coronavirus.

Famed for her airing frank views and candid opinions, Carol, who tied the knot with Mark Cassidy almost a decade ago but was famously married to TFI Friday host Chris Evans in the 1990s, has claimed that her career in mainstream television is over for good.

She said: "Its too difficult to work in television anymore. So, I dont want to go back. Not just to Loose Women. Ive just got no interest in being on mainstream TV. Not that anyone would employ me!"

Carol also claimed that things have changed so much since she first began her career on TV. During an interview with TNT talk radio, Carol said: "I always look back at when I started working in television and radio as the good old days because they were much less policed, I suppose. Much less restricted and it was a freer place to be.

"When I look back at the old Loose Womens I used to do from 2000 all the way until I left in 2013, they're completely different. There is so much offence. People take so much offence at so much and they never used to."

It's been a dramatic time for Loose Women in recent months. The show is currently off air in accordance with budget cuts that took effect earlier this year, but Nadia Sawalha, who has not appeared on the panel since April.

[Denise Welch]

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Denise announced on Thursday that she had quit Loose Women after more than 20 years (Image: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)

The former EastEnders actress said she plans to sue ITV and thinks she is being targeted for speaking out for Palestinian rights and was worried that police officers could come knocking on her door. She told The Mirror : I accept that there is a huge risk I will never work in television again.

Colleagues have offered Nadia support, but she claimed many are too scared to do so publicly. She said two well-known faces at ITV reacted to an Instagram video she posted on her threat to sue the network.

But Nadia added: I deleted it because I dont want these people to be phased out. I feel sad that there is an atmosphere of fear that if they were to be seen to be supporting me, their career could be at risk. I dont believe for one second the head of daytime wanted me off that show, I feel for her.

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