24 HOURS FROM D3ATH: Loose Women Icon BREAKS SILENCE With Chiling HEALTH UPDATE After Dramatic UK Exit, Leaving FANS STUNNED by How Close She Came

Andrea McLean was “24 hours from death” after collapsing from home (Image: ITV)

A Loose Women stalwart returned to the ITV daytime programme to discuss her “second chance at life” following a near-death experience.

Andrea McLean, who announced her departure from Loose Women five years ago, made a return on Thursday (December 4) to catch up with her former co-stars about her current life.

The ex-GMTV weather presenter, aged 56, has chosen to leave the UK behind and start anew in Spain with her husband Nick Feeney after enduring an incredibly challenging period.

Andrea, a mother of two, had a brush with death when she collapsed at home and was subsequently diagnosed with severe pneumonia, acute kidney injury and sepsis.

Speaking to panellists Charlene White, Coleen Nolan, Katie Piper and Jane Moore via video link from Spain, Andrea shared: “It’s been all the feels to be honest.”, reports Belfast Live.

The former ITV star opened up about her horrifying ordeal during Thursday episode (Image: ITV)

“Like anything, I’ve been wanting to move back to sunshine because I grew up in Trinidad in the Caribbean.

“Nick and I talked about moving abroad and the timing was never right and then, as you know, I had such a horrible end to last year and start to this year where I was seriously ill, I nearly didn’t have any time left and everything seemed to align.”

She added: “We didn’t pack everything, we sold everything. We travelled really light. Everything we owned was in the back seat of the car, apart from a few Christmas decorations which we left in storage, and we headed off not knowing if it was going to work or not and here we are.”

Andrea appeared on Loose Women for 13 years before leaving in 2020 (Image: ITV)

Andrea went on to reveal that her hair began thinning due to her poor health, compelling her to abandon her signature brunette extensions in favour of a chic bob.

She had previously taken to Instagram to confide in her followers: “I’ve had a bit of a shocker over the past few years – not only health-wise but obviously my business failing, and then it culminated at the start of the year being very unwell.

“What it made me realise… oh gosh… you only get one shot and you have to seize the day. I don’t know why I crying, it’s so silly, I didn’t mean to do this.

“Those of you who know me, I’ve always wanted to live by the sea and in the sun. So that’s what we’re doing. The timing of course is not perfect, timing isn’t always perfect, there’s never a perfect moment.

“But what I realised at the start of this year is you don’t know how many moments you might have left. You have to seize them.”

The television presenter’s voice wavered and she broke down in tears whilst explaining how her life-threatening emergency had provided her with perspective on what lay ahead.

Andrea and her husband Nick Feeney (Image: ITV)

Andrea went on: “We have this little picture that we’ve always hung above our door and we always try to live by – and so that’s what we’re doing.

“I did not mean to cry. It’s actually good, it’s a good thing. It’s scary, I have no idea how things are going to pan out but I’ve always been brave. And this is what brave looks like.

“So there we are. We’re moving to sunny climes, and I will keep you posted and my big dream for all of this… I want to get a paddleboard, I really want to learn how to paddleboard and do it everyday. And live well.”

Loose Women airs weekdays on ITV1 and ITVX at 12.30pm