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Lorraine's Dr Hilary Jones has spoken candidly about his exit from the popular ITV programme following an impressive 36-year stint on air. Hilary is departing after bosses revealed the breakfast show will be slashed to just 30 minutes from January. The trimmed format means it will broadcast for only 30 weeks annually rather than the current 52. The 72 year old health expert has also revealed he doubts there'll be funds available for a proper send-off celebration, reports the Mirror . He revealed: "I'm still working there until December 31, and then I'm a free agent. It's liberating from the constraints of a news programme presenter. I'll probably come back as a guest presenter now and then." He went on to shed light on why the beloved programme is undergoing such dramatic alterations, noting that numerous colleagues are facing similar upheaval. He commented: "People are being very sensitive to the fact that some people are having to move on. A lot of people are being redeployed elsewhere or in the same role. ITV, like everyone else, are having to make changes." Speaking to The Sun about whether ITV might organise a farewell bash for departing staff, he remarked: "It would be lovely if they did, but we will wait and see on that one because money is tight. "Certainly, there are groups of us who feel we're part of a family, so we will all be going out anyway, whether they pay or not. We are quite happy to dip into our own pockets." At the Best Hero awards, Hilary also confirmed: "I think people at work know where they stand, and many saw changes coming." The shake-up will see ITV Studios' daytime workforce slashed by half as bosses attempt to recover financial losses. Latest financial figures for the broadcaster revealed profits have plummeted by 30 per cent during the first six months of this year. Meanwhile, television host Lorraine Kelly has branded the reductions to her programme as "heartbreaking" as she spoke publicly for the first time about her show facing cuts. The presenter also pledged to remain with her eponymous programme despite earlier rumours suggesting she was ready to quit. Talking to The Mirror she said, "I don't see me going anywhere until people get fed up, you know? Until people say, I've had enough of that one. It's really heartbreaking to split up the team, a lot of my team have been with me for more than 20 years and they're my friends. "I've grown up with them. They were babies when they started with me and now they've got babies of their own." Lorraine revealed she felt relieved that many staff members had subsequently found positions on different programmes. She added, "It's been difficult with the cuts, it's been hard. I'm a lot happier about it now but it was honestly and genuinely all about the team. I wasn't annoyed or angry about this for me..it was about the team." Lorraine airs weekdays from 9am on ITV1 and ITVX
