Former ‘Loose Women’ panellist Carol McGiffin has hit out at the show, after not being invited back to celebrate their 18th birthday.
The ITV daytime show is airing a special week of episodes to mark the milestone, with a host of ‘Loose’ legends returning on Friday (8 September).
But despite still holding the record for the most ‘Loose Women’ appearances, sitting on the panel for 1,174 shows prior to quitting in 2013, Carol has been left out of the celebrations.
After fans on Twitter questioned whether she would be returning, the presenter claimed she was being “airbrushed” out of the show’s history in a series of tweets.
“I only did 13 years and over 1,000 shows, why would I even be asked???!!!” she tweeted in response to one Twitter user.
When other pointed out she didn’t feature in much of the archive footage that has been shown this week, Carol said: “You’re not the only one who noticed....it’s not like they didn’t have a lot of material to choose from! #1,174shows.”
She added to another fan: “I don’t mind being more or less airbrushed from LW history,” alongside a host of laughing emojis.
Asked if she had upset the bosses, Carol made a quip about the former line-up being more of a hit with viewers than the current panel.
“Dunno. Maybe it’s because We (the old gang) left and the show stopped winning awards? Who knows? X,” she wrote.
After noticing she featured in a picture posted on the ‘Loose Women’ Twitter account, she sarcastically tweeted: “Phew! So I was there....it wasn’t a dream?”
She added: “Yeah, don’t miss the show because sooooo many of those ‘incredible’ women won’t be on it!”
Carol also told one fan she actually found her missing invitation bemusing, writing: “It’s fine, I’m not arsed, in fact I find it quite funny.”
A number of Twitter users also blasted bosses’ decision not to invite Carol to return:
HuffPost UK has contacted a ‘Loose Women’ spokesperson for comment and is awaiting a response.
Carol previously admitted she would be keen to return to ‘Loose Women’ on a permanent basis, but only if “certain panellists” were let go first.
Although she remained tight-lipped about exactly who she was referring to, Carol has been vocal about her dislike for certain newbies in the past.
Last year, she branded the show “desperate” for signing up Katie Price, fuming: “I can’t believe those women are sitting with her. Where’s their self-respect?
“That’s why the show is so different, because they’re going for people with a lot of fans.”
Carol also hit out at the show’s revamp in 2014, which was called for after a slump in ratings following her departure.
She told Woman magazine: “It’s nothing like the show I worked on for 13 years. They should call it ‘Cosy Chats Around a Lilliputian Table With The Audience On Your Lap’.
“Good luck to them. They’ll need it, as the ratings are shit.”
During Carol’s time on the show, she shared the panel with stars including Denise Welch, Jane McDonald, Carol Vorderman and Lisa Maxwell.
‘Loose Women’ airs weekdays 12.30pm on ITV.
