Sophie Morgan has weighed in on Loose Women feud rumours as the show was hit with "cut-throat" claims.
The TV presenter, 38, shared her own experiences working on the ITV daytime show after claims it is a far from pleasant programme to work on. Talent agent Melanie Blake claimed Loose Women was a "cut-throat place to work and not This Morning." Sophie's co-star Denise Welch recently slammed the claims in a heated social media post.
The former Coronation Street star admitted she "adores" her fellow panellists and would never work for a programme which she deemed to be toxic. Paralympic presenter Sophie has also defended the ITV show, as she told The Mirror: "Honest to god, I love the Loose Women. They are the greatest bunch of supporters and champions and they're funny. I love them, I love them all.
"They are just great, powerhouse women with humour and just lovely. I have so much respect and time for them and the people who work behind the camera. The whole family there - I love it. It's one of the things I look forward to coming back to." Sophie joined the Loose Women panel in 2021 and makes regular appearances on the show.
Since launching her Rights On Flights campain after sharing her own travel nightmares, Sophie said she has received a lot of support from her ITV colleagues particularly Charlene White. "They always give me time to talk about the issue, which is so generous and kind so I am very very lucky," she added.
Bernice Blackstock suffers new blow in Emmerdale as she struggles with illnessThe "cut-throat" claims come after Melanie, who managed some of the biggest television stars previously said: "Considering I represented over 15 women on that show, I am only friends with Saira Khan. But I am in such a positive career space right now, it's just not a period of time I want to relive. But I can confirm in my experience, it's that show that's a cut-throat place to work and not This Morning."
This infuriated Denise, 65, who has appeared on the show in various roles since 2000 as she took to X, formerly known as Twitter, saying: "So disappointing that a female agent @MelanieBlakeUK constantly uses her position to tear down other women. It's such a cliché that women can't work together without being b*****s. I adore my @loosewomen colleagues otherwise I wouldn’t work there."
She later added: "Melanie writes that Loose Women was and is a toxic place to work. I'm sorry Melanie but it isn't. I love it. Otherwise, I wouldn't work there. If she only speaks to one of the women she used to represent then that says more about her than them." Responding to Denise, Melanie said that her comments referred specifically to the "era" she worked on theITVdaytime programme.
Speaking previously, Melanie told Notebook: "Put a load of ambitious women together with a small amount of seats to fill and inevitably there is always going to be tension. Showbiz isn’t all diamonds and rosé. Despite the party line of the Loose Women having been the best of friends from day one, it's simply that, a party line."
Last month, Kaye Adams said: "I do get fed up that almost always we will be asked whether we b***h about each other. I'm just waiting for Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker to be asked the same question because they just never are. When we are asked about feuds, we think it is funny. It is certainly not a viper's nest. The one thing that I can guarantee when I go to the Loose Women, regardless of the line-up of women, regardless of the topics, at some point in that day, I will have a real belly laugh."