Loose Women’s Linda Robson says it would be ‘fantastic’ if ITV added trans panelist

TV host and Birds of a Feather star Linda Robson has shared her hopes of ITV talk show Loose Women one day adding a transgender panelist.

Robson, who first appeared as a weekly panelist on the all-women panel show back in 2012 and remains a fixture of the show today, said it would be “fantastic” to welcome a trans woman to the panel.

“Yeah, it would be great,” the 66-year-old actress told Metro at last night’s TV Choice Awards (10 February).

“We’re welcome to everybody so that would be fantastic,” she added.

The daily ITV talk show features a number of permanent, rotating panelists including Robson, The Saturdays singer Frankie Bridge, The Nolan Sisters’ Colleen Nolan, and journalist Janet Street-Porter.

Over the years, a number of LGBTQ+ famous faces have also joined the line-up, including former athlete Dame Kelly Holmes and, most recently, I’m A Celebrity! Get Me Out of Here favourite, GK Barry.

Back in 2016, journalist India Willoughby was invited onto the daytime show to share her story of transitioning, and was later welcomed back as a panelist.

In the process, Willoughby became the first transgender woman to co-host Loose Women, and the first trans person to co-host an all-women TV panel show globally.

In 2021, former co-host Saira Khan asked ITV bosses to replace her with a “gay, trans or non-binary” host after she stepped down from the show.

In recent years, Loose Women has welcomed a number of high-profile trans stars to the show to share their stories, including author Munroe Bergdorf and Big Brother winner, Nadia Almada.

Robson went on to state that the show, which recently celebrated its 25th anniversary, would be open to welcoming “everybody” as a guest, though she may draw the line at president Donald Trump.

“I don’t think I’d be able to hold myself back from Donald Trump actually,” she said of welcoming to the show the 47th president, who has been widely criticised for his numerous attacks on the LGBTQ+ community since his inauguration last month.

She then caveated: “I’m open to everybody and if there’s ever anyone who might be a bit tricky, they say ‘Linda can do it!’ because I get away with it like no one else.”

Linda Robson recently opened up about her relationship with her Birds of a Feather co-star Pauline Quirke, who was diagnosed with dementia in 2021.

“I have noticed a real difference with her,” she told the Daily Express. “She doesn’t remember her grandchildren so she’s not going to remember who I am even though we’ve been friends 56 years. It really is sad.”

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