Nadia Sawalha has long been one of the most familiar faces on Loose Women, bringing warmth, humour and frank personal stories to the ITV panel for more than a decade. But the 61-year-old presenter now appears to be at the centre of a growing behind-the-scenes storm after reports claimed she has been quietly “dropped” from the show following controversy over online political content shared with her husband, Mark Adderley.
The former EastEnders actress has not appeared on Loose Women since late April, although ITV has insisted she has not been suspended and pointed to the programme’s rotating line-up of panellists. However, according to a well-placed insider, some of Nadia’s co-stars are now keeping their distance as they wait to understand exactly what is happening.
“The other Loose Women are mostly in the dark over the situation and are avoiding asking. Producers aren’t dishing out information, and the other panellists would rather stay out of it,” the source told The Sun.
The insider added that while there remains “a lot of love for Nadia” among her fellow panellists, the atmosphere around the show has become increasingly cautious after a difficult year marked by staff cuts and cost-saving measures. “No one wants to rock the boat,” the source said.
The controversy centres on Nadia’s online activity with her husband Mark, who was suspended from the Green Party over anti-Israel content before being elected as a councillor in recent local elections. Mark has faced criticism for posts and videos in which he allegedly made inflammatory claims, including accusing Israeli intelligence service Mossad of being behind the assassination of US political commentator Charlie Kirk.
Another video reportedly saw him drawing comparisons between Nazi Germany and Israel. Nadia, meanwhile, was said to have defended her husband and allegedly suggested “dark forces” within the Labour Party had played a role in his suspension from the Greens. The couple have insisted they are anti-Zionist, not anti-Semitic.
The situation has drawn condemnation from the Campaign Against Antisemitism and Alex Hearn of Labour Against Antisemitism, who criticised Nadia for standing by Mark amid the row.
Behind the scenes, the mood among Loose Women stars is said to be tense and uncertain. “Nadia is keeping to herself about the situation. Some of the other Loose Women are avoiding reaching out to her for fear of getting caught up in it,” the insider claimed.
“They want to know the details before saying anything to her. And there’s not always the chance to speak to the show’s bosses because of the way the stars are rotated. Some go for weeks without being on set.”
Despite the speculation, there is reportedly no clear answer on whether Nadia will return to the panel soon. The source suggested that some production staff believe her absence may simply be a “disciplinary hiatus”, but added that senior figures have not given any indication of what happens next.
“There’s no certainty that Nadia will be back on the show anytime soon,” the insider said.
Nadia is one of Loose Women’s longest-serving stars. She was part of the original line-up when the daytime show launched in 1999, remained a regular until 2002, and later returned in 2013 after a decade away. For many viewers, she has become one of the programme’s defining voices — but her future on the panel now appears to be surrounded by questions.
