The morning show on Channel 11 has kept the same chemistry since 1995 or so, except that it became clearer through the years that Steve Edwards' female co-hosts didn't much like each other. Now Deadline.com has broken the news that Dorothy Lucey's contract was not renewed and she will leave the show on Friday. Jillian Reynolds will switch to freelance status and still appear on the show, but not every day. Edwards has a long-term deal and stays, the website's TV editor, Nellie Andreeva, says.

I hear the show will hold on-air tryouts for Lucey’s position in the mold of the syndicated Live With Kelly. In addition to being a cost-saving measure (Lucey’s paycheck also is substantial after 17 years at the station), the changes are aimed at providing a jolt to the veteran morning program, which has not been doing well in the ratings lately after once dominating Los Angeles’ morning TV race. Before joining KTTV, Lucey was co-host of the CBS primetime series How’d They Do That with Pat O’Brien.

Reynolds, you may remember, became a U.S. citizen last year (on the air, of course.)

