This Morning

Don't think it is an opt (an opt is where you leave an incoming network feed for your own, more localised, content) and don't think ITN control it. Isn't it a standard switch between the out of the This Morning Studio at TLS and the output of the ITV News Studio at Grays Inn Road and handled by ITV playout ? Or is it an out of the ordinary junction?

It's a fixed handover to the ITN studio in the schedule. So if they're getting cut off at This Morning then T.M. aren't timing it right!

Any reason why it's done that way rather than ITN as an outside source into the TM gallery?

Probably because its cheaper and easier.

Does anybody know the reason why the quality of picture in the new soft area/former hub is lower than that of the rest of the studio?

It wasn't used at all today with Eamonn and Ruth, strangely.

Don't think it's actual picture quality, it just seems darker in the comfy area.

It always appears slightly blurry compared to the rest. It is very minor however.

Is it not where the TM studio is that they're looking to extend TLS? In this case I'm guessing that any hd plans will be left until they finalise plans.

Because it gives the production gallery crew a bit of a breathing space for a while, its a few hours of fairly intensive production.

Good call on both counts.

Old theme played just a moment ago, don't know if they have changed back or whether it's a mistake?

Can't be a mistake... The old theme is being used throughout the show.