Andrea McLean quit Loose Women in bombshell resignation email leaving her co-stars in ‘absolute shock’
ANDREA McLean quit Loose Women in a bombshell resignation email leaving her co-stars in "absolute shock".
The presenter, 51, quit the ITV daytime chat show in November 2020 and had her last show the next month.
Andrea revealed her Loose Women co-star Brenda Edwards burst into tears at the announcement and she kept it secret until the announcement.
"I emailed my bosses. I just said I needed to follow my heart..." She told the .
"I was sat in the car! I had it all written and ready to go. I just felt like, now the next part of my life begins.
"It was like I'd pressed the start button. But it felt really right and now I'm happier than ever."
She continued: "The hardest person to tell was Brenda Edwards, because we've become so close. She just burst into tears and ran out of the room.
"I know her well enough to know not to follow her. So I let her have her moment and she came back about five times. It was quite funny, actually."
The TV presenter stepped away from the lunchtime stalwart in December after 13 years to launch her new online venture, This Girl Is On Fire, with partner Nick Feeney.
She told viewers: "Right. OK. Oh, I can't speak. Can I just say, being on Loose Women is like a real-life soap opera. There's highs, there's lows.
"I'm like the landlady of the Rover's Return, I'm just handing over my bar but I'll be back for my Chardonnay. Oh ladies - goodbye."
Andrea revealed last month that she feared she would lose her house if she left the panel.
She told : "It was such a slow burner. By the time it came around, it felt like absolutely the right thing to do. It was a weird decision - it did feel scary!
"It took months of thinking about it. We were preparing for the worstand hoping for the best. Nick and I sat down and wrote what we needed to prepare for.
"Worst case - we would have to sell the house. Best, the This Girl Is On Fire membership and website we've set up works and we're successful with that."