Andrea McLean taken aback by husband's cheeky jibe at her looks before Loose Women return

Planning for your retirement can never start too early, especially after the UK workforce experienced an unprecedented period of uncertainty during 18-months of lockdown which resulted in a staggering 11.7 million employees put on furlough.

A Scottish tour guide has sparked up an unlikely friendship with movie superstar Sharon Stone after recreating her famous Basic Instinct interrogation scene.

Loose Women in December 2020 after 13 years on the popular daytime show. The ITV star has since shared her former co-star and pal, Denise Welch, 63, put her name forward for a new opportunity. The mum-of-two had recently teamed up with UNICEF to support the refugee crisis which has plagued Ukraine. The former Loose Women host explained that it was through Denise she was able to secure a hosting role at an event that was aimed to raise funds for those affected by the war in Ukraine. Speaking about the event, Andrea said: "To be honest, it came about because of my lovely friend Denise [Welch]. "She obviously has a lot of contacts in the theatre world and the acting world. "READ MORE: Mark Labbett announces new show after he's axed from The Chase © ITV Andrea McLean says Denise Welch got her a gig amid Loose Women exit

Loose Women.The star described how “every brand dropped her” as soon as she announced she was leaving the ITV show.Andrea, 52, has spoken candidly about the financial impact of her decision to quite Loose Women. The TV star made the announcement that she was leaving the ITV programme in 2020, explaining that the coronavirus pandemic had caused her to reassess her life. Andrea worked on getting her online membership lifestyle company This Girl Is On Fire off the ground and had other corporate work lined up.However, she admitted that when a number of brands dropped her she felt like her “safety net was gone”.Andrea remembered: “On the day that I announced that I was leaving, every brand dropped me, every single one.“I went from, ‘OK I know I have this amount of money coming in and this much work that will see me through to the next six to eight months’, gone. “Literally overnight it disappeared.That’s how big a deal it is walking away from TV."For me, financially it was a punch in the stomach, because my safety net was gone. “I can’t turn back and I can't change my mind because I still want to do this thing."Andrea went on to point out the irony that the very brands that had dropped her after her Loose Women exit, which she didn't name, were centred around raising women up and improving their confidence. “But actually they didn’t care about that, they only cared about my profile,” she added during her interview with Secure The Insecure podcast. Andrea starred in Loose Women from 2007 all the way up until November 2020.The star recently confessed that she sold her beloved Surrey home with the hopes of spending winters in Florida.Andrea, who now lives in a rented house with third husband, Nick Feeney, and her two children

Carol commented on the experience on On White Wine Question Time, explaining it was somewhat beneficial to have attracted that level of attention.She said that her “mojo” tapered off after her mum died in 2003.The host added that it was seven years down the line and she was still in a position where she lacked self-esteem.But it wasn’t long before she met husband Mark Cassidy.Kate reminded Carol that she was in “deep grief” at the time, saying that such experiences close down your “emotional toolkit.”Kate confirmed that she admired Carol for speaking about the importance of remembering that it is okay to be single.“You don’t have to be with someone to be someone,” she explained.The two agreed that it was possible to be someone on your own accord, while still being perfectly happy.

Loose Women star Stacey Solomon apologised to the rest of the panel when her baby daughter Rose screamed through her appearance on the ITV show. During Wednesday 30 March’s episode of the popular lunchtime programme, Stacey, who recently returned from maternity leave, joined the ladies via video call in a last minute shake-up after another star was unable to appear. However, the 32 year old, who welcomed Rose with fiance Joe Swash last October, was thrilled to step in from her Essex home and quickly got stuck into the hot topics of the day.

Stacey Solomon, 32, was rushing around this morning after being asked to replace a Loose Women co-star who had called in sick.The ITV star had only just returned home from Rotherham, where she was filming the first episode of Sort Your Life Out’s second series.In a candid Instagram post shared with her 5.1 million followers, Stacey shared her struggle fitting everything on her busy schedule.The picture, uploaded earlier today, featured her son Rex laughing as he lay on the sofa with the family’s dogs.Stacey’s hand could be visible in the shot as she showed fans the “cold tea” she had been drinking ahead of her TV appearance.She captioned the snap: “We are back from Rotherham and someone has called in sick to Loose Women so I’m scrambling around trying to sort the pickles out, drink my cold tea and put something on so I can cover today on Zoom.“Happy Wednesday everyone.”The TV star concluded: “I hope you’re all ok today.”

Loose Women, former anchor Andrea McLean made a surprising return on Monday’s show (29 March).But comments made during the show, saw complaints from viewers criticising the special guest on Twitter. Andrea was joined by new host Ruth Langsford and panellists Kelle Bryan, Katie Piper and Coleen Nolan.

Loose Women co-star Kaye Adams, 59. In a candid chat on presenter Kate Thornton’s White Wine Question Time podcast, Carol described Kaye as being the “polar opposite” to her, personality-wise.When asked about her “unlikely” friendships forged by working on the ITV talk show, Carol said: “Well, Kaye Adams is an unlikely friend…”Kate then enquired: “Because you’re too similar?”Carol continued: “No! Because we are polar opposites.”She explained: “We are complete and utter opposites in almost everything and it’s strange that I’d see her as a friend.“But we are friends, we just are.

Andrea McLean has told how she stepped down from Loose Women because she'd outgrown it and it no longer fitted her.The Scottish journalist and television presenter announced in 2020 that she was leaving the ITV programme after 13 years, saying that she had re-evaluated her life amid the coronavirus pandemic. "It was a really, really big decision to jump and see if I fall and if I fly and I thought 'I will never know unless I try'," she said at the time.Andrea has now opened up the Mirror, revealing that things turned out well after she exited the show.She said: "I look back really fondly on my time there, and I was so lucky.

Loose Women was suddenly cut short.But the ITV presenter and producer received some much-welcomed support from her Twitter followers.One, @lucylululastic, tweeted her to offer words of encouragement in the aftermath of the glitch."Saw you on LW [Loose Women] on the train and just wanted to say have the best time," she wrote."See, good things happen to good people, enjoy yourself, so never give those jealous weekend fools a second thought."She added the hashtag #YouMakeMyMumSmile.Charlene responded in view of over 62,000 followers to confirm she was "gutted the signal failed"."The joys of attempting to do a video call on a train to Birmingham," she groaned.However, she added: "But I’ll be co-presenting the ITV Evening News from ITV’s Concert for Ukraine tonight from 18.30… thankfully not on FaceTime!"The discussion sparked off a series of "Welcome to Birmingham" tweets from locals whose home city she had been heading to at the time of the mishap.Charlene has had a tense few days- not just with the connectivity problem on Loose Women, but with fielding off complaints that she had "profited" from slavery.She discovered last year during an ITV documentary named Empire's Child that a distant relative - her five times great grandfather - had been a slave owner."All wknd a few folk with nowt better to do were furiously tweeting to “out” me for “profiting” from the slave trade," she wrote in a tweet yesterday."Why? Cos my slave-ancestors birthed kids belonging to their slave owners."Kids who were born slaves."The aghast presenter added: "Is there a British education system complaints dept?!"Meanwhile the Loose Women star had another shock in store when she learnt one of her favourite radio broadcasters, Eddie Mair, is about to

ITV documentary Empire's Child last year that her five times great-grandfather was a slave owner. In the documentary the Loose Women star is astonished by her connections to the British Empire and has taken to Twitter to hit back at claims she "profited from the slave trade".Charlene took to Twitter yesterday evening to call out those who believe she profited from the slave trade.In view of her 62,400 followers, she penned: "All wknd a few folk with nowt better to do were furiously tweeting to 'out' me for 'profiting' from the slave trade.

Loose Women presenter Sophie Morgan has opened up about dealing with a stalker in 2018, telling OK! it was "horrible." The star - who joined the Loose Women panel last autumn - was targeted by Robert Keegan on a daily basis, who was later convicted. For our shoot with her mum, Carol, at her parents' home in Sussex, Sophie, 37, told us that it was an extremely hard moment in her life. “At the time, I wasn’t using social media that much and I wasn’t making as much TV," she explained.

Loose Women star Sophie Morgan has opened up to OK! about her life changing car crash aged 18 and how it has impacted her life. Now 37, Sophie's career is soaring and the presenter took the chance to celebrate her brilliant mum Carol - who cared for her after the crash that left her paralysed from the chest down - as they posed for beautiful photos at Carol's Sussex house.

Loose Women welcomed back a familiar face on Monday's show as Andrea McLean returned as a guest almost year and a half after she quit.

Loose Women viewers were delighted today to see Andrea McLean return to the panel for the first time since she quit 15 months ago.

Loose Women panellist Coleen Nolan is the latest star to give her view on Will Smith hitting Chris Rock at the Oscars 2022, saying he became a ‘lion’ to protect his family. When comedian Chris Rock took aim at Will’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith during the Academy Awards, Will, 53, stormed onto the stage and slapped Chris, 57.

Loose Women panellist Carol McGiffin, 62, has reminisced about the “old days” of the ITV lunchtime show where she felt she had more freedom to say what she wanted. Carol has been a regular on the programme since the early 2000s and recently opened up about how things have changed.Speaking on the latest episode of Kate Thornton’s White Wine Question Time podcast, Carol recalled: “The old days, back on Loose Women, were great."Not to say that I don’t have a great time now, but when I think about those times back then, things were just so much freer."She said that the hosts used to be able to "talk about things" they simply can't discuss anymore.She continued: “The way we talked to each other was completely different to what we can do now because you’ve just got this epidemic of offence, everyone’s just offended by everything, and it’s hard, it is quite hard to work in telly now.”Kate, who presented Loose Women from 2009 until 2011, then chimed in: “To do a live show where you are hired to pass opinion and comment, every day is a tightrope between flying or dying by cancellation.”Carol agreed: “Yeah, it is.

Amy Walsh has opened up about when she will return to Emmerdale after giving birth to her daughter. The ITV soap actress plays Tracy Metcalfe on the series and has welcomed a baby girl with her partner, EastEnders star Toby-Alexander Smith. The new mum of one appeared on Loose Women on Friday (25 March) to discuss the first few weeks of parenthood and when she might return to the soap.

Loose Women star Jane Moore took a cheeky swipe at fellow panellist Coleen Nolan yesterday. Jane told viewers Coleen “shoved” her at the start of the ITV show.Jane, 59, branded her Loose Women co-star Coleen “ghastly” in a tongue-in-cheek jibe as she kicked off the show yesterday.Coleen, 57, apparently shoved Jane, the panellist claimed live on air.Jane began: “Hello and welcome to your mid-week helping of Loose Women.“Joining me for lots of laughs and lunchtime chat, it's the ghastly Coleen Nolan,” she continued, as her colleague opened her mouth in shock.“Who just shoved me on air,” she revealed, causing Coleen to laugh.The pair quickly moved past the on-air banter, sitting down at the Loose Women panel with their fellow co-stars.The pair were joined by Linda Robson, 64, and Shani Dhanda, 35, as they began a discussion on the issue of lockdown loneliness.Express.co.uk has contacted Coleen’s representatives for further comment.Earlier this month, Coleen appeared on Lorraine for International Women’s Day, where she addressed rumours of feuding behind the scenes on Loose Women.Appearing beside Gloria Hunniford, Coleen confirmed that the drama always “ends at the desk”.Host Lorraine Kelly appeared to make reference to claims of friction between the panellists, though she suggested that it was not the case.She said: “And Loose Women is on today.

Kate Ferdinand shared an adorable snap of her one year old son Cree recognising her on Loose Women as she appeared on the panel.The 30 year old former TOWIE star, who shares son Cree with former England footballer Rio Ferdinand, 43, posted a sweet set of snaps to her 1.4million Instagram followers of her little boy recognising his mum as she appeared on the ITV show. Kate, who is a stepmother to children Lorenz, 15, Tate, 13, and Tia, 10, wowed in a lime green suit as she revealed to the panel the affectionate name her three stepchildren have adopted for her. While Kate appeared on the daytime show on Wednesday 23 March, adorable Cree appeared to be her biggest fan as he watched the huge TV screen.