Loose Women EMOTIONAL: Gladiators star Zack George shares his HORRIBLE pain that left viewers in tears

Gladiators star Steel broke down on Tuesday’s (August 12) Loose Women as he sobbed, “He passed away in my arms”.

The TV personality, whose full name is Zack George, appeared on the ITV programme with his wife, Samantha, to raise awareness of baby loss.

The couple announced the tragic death of their baby son, Leo, back in April, just days after he was born prematurely. Zack and Samantha are also parents to two-year-old Ivy.

On today’s Loose Women, the couple recalled Leo’s birth, which occurred at 23 weeks after Samantha knew “something wasn’t right”.

“It’s not what you expect… We were in total shock, didn’t know how to deal with it,” Zack said.

Leo was born two days after Samantha was admitted to the hospital, weighing just one pound eight ounces.

“We were, kind of, super nervous, super scared. The doctors were absolutely amazing. They rushed him away, did all the checks they needed to do,” Zack explained, adding that they weren’t allowed to hold their son at first.

Samantha added, “As soon as we knew he was alive, our instant thought was, ‘He’s going to be fine. He’s alive.”

However, after three or four days, several complications began to arise for Leo, including brain bleeds, collapsed lungs, and a hole in his heart.

“One of my biggest regrets is that I was a bit too scared to hold him. He was so small and fragile, I never held him until the very last day and that evening, we got the call that things aren’t looking good,” Zack then shared.

As he recalled the heartbreaking loss, Zack broke down in tears, with his wife rushing to comfort him.

“That’s the only time I got to hold him, when he passed away. It’s a magical moment, but no parent should ever hold their baby till he stops breathing,” he emotionally added.

Myleene Klass, who has tirelessly raised awareness of miscarriage over the last few years, was also left in tears, saying: “I’m so sorry. I think you’re so brave.”

She added: “To turn pain into power, to be able to put those words out there for so many people who are so scared of this taboo of miscarriage, of baby loss. Like you said, you don’t hear about it anywhere because people are so frightened of it, but it’s happening to so many.”

Zack then explained that he wanted to turn his grief into something positive, so he organised a special challenge to raise awareness.

“When Leo actually passed away, the way I deal with grief is I have to have something positive come out of the situation… I have to try and turn it into something positive, get something good out of it. So, straight away, I just thought of a challenge I’m going to do,” he said.

The challenge, titled 13 Days Fighting, is a tribute to Leo’s 13 days of life and will help support families who have experienced premature baby loss. It will start on August 18th and conclude on August 30th.