Saira Khan, a former Loose Women panellist, has said she has no plans to return to television after quitting the show. The 56-year-old last appeared on the ITV daytime show in 2021, after five years on the programme.
Rise to Fame and Recent Focus
Khan rose to fame on The Apprentice in 2005 and later became a Loose Women panellist. She also competed on reality shows such as Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, Celebrity Big Brother, and Dancing On Ice. In recent years, she has kept a lower profile, making only sporadic appearances on shows like Jeremy Vine, as she focuses on her skincare business.
Why She Quit Regular Television
Sharing why she decided to quit regular television, Khan said she never felt viewers were able to see the real her. 'I miss TV a lot. I really did enjoy it,' she told Woman's Own magazine. 'But I think it came to a point where I was being pushed in a direction which didn't show who I am overall.' She added, 'Everybody knows me as Saira, who's feisty, got an opinion. But I'm also a mother, I'm a governor. I do a lot of sport. I'm very passionate about my skincare business.'
'Nobody saw that. That's why I'm really grateful for social media, because my audience sees that side of me and I'm not polarising anymore,' she said.
Stress and Loss of Confidence
Khan also confessed that life in the spotlight was 'quite stressful', noting that 'comments on your performance on TV are never filtered'. 'It started, towards the end I think, to make me lose confidence in myself and not like myself.' She revealed the experience led her to question whether the financial rewards were worth the toll on her mental health and the impact on her children.
'I just thought, 'Well, my kids never asked to be in the spotlight'. I think I had a great run for 20 years and then it was like, 'Right, we need to grow up now',' she added.
Reflections on Loose Women and Future Plans
Looking back on her time on Loose Women, Khan said she enjoyed her stint and got along well with all the panellists. However, since her departure, she has only stayed in touch with a handful of former co-stars, including Coleen Nolan and Ruth Langsford.
In a previous edition of the publication, Khan admitted she wouldn't go back to the show if offered the opportunity, but she has not ruled out appearing on other shows. Keen for a challenge, she revealed she would welcome the chance to compete on I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, Strictly Come Dancing, or Race Across The World.
'I've done Celebrity SAS, I've done Dancing on Ice and I love those challenges where you're learning something,' she shared. 'The jungle would be, again, a test. I'd also love to do Strictly because I love dancing.'
