Carol McGiffin quits her day job on Loose Women after ten years

By Jason Chester

PUBLISHED: 03:55 EST, 25 August 2013 | UPDATED: 11:17 EST, 25 August 2013

She became a household name thanks to her daily appearances on Loose Women, but after more than a decade on the panel Carol McGiffin has quit the show for pastures new.

The 53-year-old TV personality was the longest serving member on the panel, but admits she won’t be returning to the long-running ITV show when the new series kicks off later this year.

Speaking to the Sunday People, she said: ‘I’m sure some of you will rejoice but those who might not be so pleased deserve some sort of explanation. 

Bowing out: Carol McGiffin has quit her ten year presenting role on ITV daytime show Loose Women

‘I’d been thinking about it for at least a year. It seems mad to quit one of the best jobs in the world – you talk for an hour with like-minded women and get paid.

‘But I felt I’d completely plundered my private life and exhausted my repertoire of anecdotes to the point of boring myself.’

Carol made 1,172 appearances on the show before bowing out when the 17th series came to an end in June.

Her personal highlights include chats with singers Bryan Ferry and Robbie Williams and a trip to Spain, where she visited the set of sitcom Benidorm – her favourite TV show. 

Familiar faces: Loose Women panelists Carol Vorderman, Lisa Maxwell, Carole McGiffin and Denise Welch chat to actress Kym Lomas, one of hundreds of guests to appear on the show

She added: ‘I had so many laughs, made so many friends. It’s been such a big part of my life.’

Carol is currently following in Loose Women colleague Denise Welch’s footsteps by taking part in Celebrity Big Brother – and she’s already won an unlikely admirer in TOWIE star Mario Falcone.

Speaking in the Diary Room shortly after entering the house, he said: ‘She has got amazing legs for an older woman. Amazing. Her legs are the ideal legs on a woman.

Bit of a gap: Carol McGiffin with fiance Mark Cassidy, who is 23-years her junior

‘It is weird for me. When I am out with my friends they are all boys. Carol is completely different for me, she has come in tonight and got proper p***ed.’

The TV presenter is engaged to Mark Cassidy, who is 22-years her junior, but Mario admitted he still fancied his chances.

‘She is engaged to a 31-year-old which means I am six years out,’ he said. ‘But if her engagement doesn’t work out...Carol, I am single and I am a changed man.

'There have been a few moments tonight where something could have happened but she is an engaged woman.’

Fancying his chances: TOWIE star Mario Falcone has developed a crush on fellow Celebrity Big Brother housemate Carol McGiffin

While Carol has already quit Loose Women, fellow panellist Carol Vorderman could be facing the axe as producers plan to give the show a radical shake-up following a drop in viewing figures.

According to The Sun, show regulars Vorderman, Denise Welch and Jane McDonald have been given short-term contracts with their positions set to come under review in January.

The ITV mainstay is understood to have lost more than 700,000 viewers during the last series.

Under threat: Carol McGiffin has quit Loose Women, but her fellow panelist have reportedly given short term contracts following a steep decline in viewing figures during the last series

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