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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Connie Rusk

Jenny Powell says she quit Loose Women because she felt 'intimidated' by panellists

Jenny Powell has revealed she quit Loose Women, claiming she felt "intimidated" by her fellow panellists.

The presenter, 54, who left the show in 2005 but has since appeared as a guest, hit out at the ITV daytime show as she explained her reasons for "sacking it off".

Now, Jenny says it wasn't one happy family behind-the-scenes and there was a bad energy brewing between the panellists at the time she decided to leave the show.

The TV star was on the programme with the likes of Coleen Nolan, Carol McGiffin, Kaye Adams and Ruth Langsford in the early 2000s, but didn't give away any names when she spilled all on her time there.

Jenny pictured on the show alongside Stacey Solomon and Janet Street-Porter (Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

"I sacked it off. I didn't like the energy behind the scenes," she said to The Sun.

"I always felt a bit intimidated of the other women. Maybe I'm just a bit sensitive."

Mirror Online has contacted ITV for comment.

Jenny isn't the only one to hit out at the programme which focuses on a panel of four female presenters who interview celebrities, talk about aspects of their lives and discuss topical issues.

Jenny didn't specify who she felt intimidated by (Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
"I sacked it off. I didn't like the energy behind the scenes," she said (LightRocket via Getty Images)

Last month, Saira Khan revealed the real reason she quit the show – claiming bosses tried to make her join soft porn site OnlyFans as a PR stunt.

Saira, 52, told how the “shocking” request was the final straw in what she alleges was a string of desperate bids to get publicity for the ITV programme as ratings slipped.

She revealed how she was also asked to have a mould made of her vagina for a Body Stories campaign.

Saira alleged bosses cared more about viewing figures than her mental health.

Saira said: “The straw that broke the camel’s back was when one of the young producers was sent running after me to ask whether I would be prepared to open an OnlyFans account.” OnlyFans is a site where users post soft porn images of themselves for cash.

“To say I was shocked was an understatement,” Saira added. “I could see she herself was mortified to ask me. I replied, ‘You’re asking an Asian woman who has a husband and kids and comes from a Muslim family to open an OnlyFans account?’"

A spokesman for Loose Women said: “We strongly refute all of these claims. Duty of care is of paramount importance for all of our panellists. Saira left the panel almost two years ago and we wish her well."

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