Sophie Morgan suddenly quits ITV show Loose Women as she reveals plans for emigration

Sophie Morgan has quit Loose Women so she can work in the US.

The TV presenter, 39, became the first full-time disabled panellist on the ITV1 lunchtime show when she joined in 2021 but announced on social media on Monday that she had departed for good.

Sophie noted that she will be based in LA and London for the foreseeable future and knew it was time to ‘part ways’ from ITV so she could concentrate on her disability advocacy elsewhere as she thanked bosses for the platform.

She wrote: ‘ I also wanted to update you on the latest with Loose Women. Whilst I had an incredible time working there (it was a dream platform for a disabled woman with a lot to say), the time has come to part ways.

‘I am very proud to have been part of their groundbreaking work, including campaigns such as Body Stories – which celebrated body diversity & confidence – ‘Facing It Together’ – a campaign about domestic abuse – &, of course, my baby, ‘Rights on Flights’ which was born on the show last year (Sally [Shelford, producer] , thank you).’

She is leaving the daytime panel show in favour of a career in the US (pictured April alongside L-R Coleen Nolan, Judi Love, guests Brooke Vincent and Laura Norton, and Janet Street-Porter) 

Sophie has spearheaded the Rights Onflight with MP Marion Fellows to demand that the Government gives the Civil Aviation Authority more powers to fine airlines and other actors who fail in their obligations to disabled travellers, but admitted that she feels ‘less disabled’ when she is across the pond. 

But the TV star is not entirely done with the UK, as she teased that she has a ‘traiblaizng’ documentary coming up on Channel 4, which will be made with Reese Witherspooon’s production company.

She wrote: ‘In the meantime (I have been dying to shout about this), for the past 18 months, I’ve been working on a new Channel 4 documentary, and it will be out very soon.

‘This doc is set to be a trailblazing piece of television which combines my two foremost passions, authentic representation in TV and disability rights. 

Sophie suffered life-changing injuries at the age of just 18 when she was in a car accident while driving in Scotland with some friends, shortly after receiving her A-level results in 2003.

She first came to prominence on the first series of the BBC reality series Beyond Boundaries in 2004 in which she and 11 disabled people went an expedition, but was unable to complete the mission after becoming ill.

As Sophie’s career took off she racked up an impressive list of shows she has reported for including Horizon, The One Show and Channel 4 News as part of the No Go Britain series which examines accessibility and transport issues for disabled people

Sophie first found fame on a reality show about disabled people in 2004 and has since gone on to become an activist alongside her presenting work 

Sophie attended 10 Downing Street in London to hand in the RightsOnFlights petition (pictured in March 2023)

She was runner up in BBC Three’s Britain’s Missing Top Model in 2008 and began presenting her own documentaries in 2013.

Sophie has not appeared on Loose Women since 10 April, when she and co-stars Coleen Nolan, Judi Love and Janet Street-Porter interviewed soap actresses Brooke Vincent and Laura Norton about their reality show Drama Queens. 

But her departure was announced by Monday’s anchor Charlene White, who, alongside Linda Robson, Brenda Edwards  and guest panellist Sally Dynevor thanked Sophie for time on air.

Charlene said: ‘Huge congrats so Sophie Morgan, who is leaving us to start ad adventure in the states. She has been such a powerful voice on this show. We Wish you the best of luck, we’re gonna miss you, and good luck on your new exciting chapter!’