GMB staff ‘in race war as Charlotte Hawkins is handed solo slot over Sean Fletcher and Ranvir Singh’

Good Morning Britain staff ‘divided by race war as Charlotte Hawkins is handed solo slot on the show over Sean Fletcher and Ranvir Singh’

A race war has reportedly broken out among staff at Good Morning Britain, over Charlotte Hawkins being handed a new solo early morning hosting slot on the show.

According to The Sun, the 44-year-old TV personality is in line to land her own 30-minute segment from 6am ahead of Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid’s main show.

However, the newspaper reports that the move has sparked outrage among those who believe that the role should have gone to one of GMB’s long-serving ethnic minority stars, such as Sean Fletcher or Ranvir Singh.

Divide? A race war has reportedly broken out among staff at Good Morning Britain, over Charlotte Hawkins being handed a new solo early morning hosting slot on the show

A source told the publication: ‘The plan is to give Charlotte her own half hour, but that’s caused uproar from staff concerned about diversity — especially because Ranvir and Sean would be the other two options.

‘They are both BAME and were both unfairly demoted by bosses, which has left a bitter taste. This is nothing personal against Charlotte, who is a lovely lady and well liked. But she already has a job as newsreader.’

MailOnline has contacted representatives for Good Morning Britain for comment.

Role: The Sun reports that Charlotte's role has sparked outrage among those who believe that the role should have gone to one of GMB's ethnic minority stars, such as Sean Fletcher

Host: Ranvir Singh was also reportedly brought up as somebody who would have been considered for the slot

Role: The Sun reports that Charlotte’s role has sparked outrage among those who believe that the role should have gone to GMB’s ethnic minority stars Sean Fletcher or Ranvir Singh

Party pals: Charlotte partied with her colleagues, including Laura Tobin, left, at the ITV Palooza 2019 earlier this month

Party pals: Charlotte partied with her colleagues, including Laura Tobin, left, at the ITV Palooza 2019 earlier this month

Both Good Morning Britain and This Morning are set to be extended by an extra half-hour in a bid to flesh out ITV’s morning programme after the sudden axing of the Jeremy Kyle Show earlier this year.

ITV’s planned shakeup will mean that GMB will run from 6am until 9am, followed by Lorraine’s hour-long show and then This Morning, which will start a half-hour earlier at 10am and run until 12:30pm.

The reports come a week after Charlotte took to Twitter to lament missing her daughter’s first nativity play after the date was changed for the school to be used as a polling station.

Main show: Charlotte, 44, is in line to land her own 30-minute segment from 6am ahead of Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid's main show

Main show: Charlotte, 44, is in line to land her own 30-minute segment from 6am ahead of Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid’s main show

Extended: Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby's This Morning will also be extended by half an hour in the programming shakeup

Extended: Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby’s This Morning will also be extended by half an hour in the programming shakeup 

Presenter Charlotte vented her frustrations, with fellow celebrities and Twitter users jumping in with comments or to make suggestions.

She wrote on the micro-blogging site: ‘So I’ll now be missing my daughter’s first school nativity as the date has changed due to the election….

‘I thought councils were supposed to be finding alternative venues other than schools! Why not use village halls? Anyone else affected by this??’

The TV personality is married to Mark Herbert and has one child, Ella Rose.

Axed: The shows have been extended in a bid to flesh out ITV's morning programme after the sudden axing of the Jeremy Kyle Show earlier this year

Axed: The shows have been extended in a bid to flesh out ITV’s morning programme after the sudden axing of the Jeremy Kyle Show earlier this year

Fellow GMB presenter Ben Shephard commented: ‘Let’s get them to do it on air for us in the studio!!’ to which Charlotte replied: ‘Ooh good thinking!!’

TV presenter, mother of two and stepmother, Kirstie Allsopp expressed her sympathies: ‘It’s the worst feeling. See if you can go to the dress rehearsal, I did that once,’ she added.

There have been widespread complaints about the December 12 general election date clashing with nativity plays up and down the country, with disgruntled parents voicing their concerns online, since the date was announced. 

Later: Lorraine Kelly's Lorraine will start a half-hour later, but still run for an hour. Pictured with guest Michelle Visage, right, earlier this week

Later: Lorraine Kelly’s Lorraine will start a half-hour later, but still run for an hour. Pictured with guest Michelle Visage, right, earlier this week

 

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