ITV drops axe on 'Trisha'

ITV are set to axe its most popular morning chat show, Trisha, following a string of rows and disagreements over money and control of the show, the Mirror reports today.

The series, fronted by Trisha Goddard, is a regular ratings winner, pulling in an average of 1.6 million viewers per day. The move to axe the show came when the communication between Granada and ITV bosses broke down.

ITV are rumoured to be lining up Vanessa Feltz as Goddard's replacement, amongst other candidates such as Oxo advert star Lynda Bellingham and BBC breakfast TV host Natasha Kaplinsky.

At present, Goddard earns £500,000 a year working for ITV, but is rumoured to be in negotiations with the BBC about taking over Kilroy's show.

A Granada insider said: "There are times when you realise you can only have so much of a good thing and I think we've come to the end of the line with Trisha.

"She has been stalling and stalling over signing a new two-year contract and it now seems clear that it just won't happen.

"Trisha must remember the show was there before she was and it's bigger than her."