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Andrea McLean has a surprising confession about Loose Women job

The TV presenter is an anchor for the long-running ITV daytime show

andrea mclean loose women
Hanna Fillingham
US Managing Editor
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Andrea McLean is one of the lead panellists on Loose Women, and isn’t afraid to talk in front of a live audience - and viewers at home - about everything from her relationships to the menopause. However, while she appears confident from the outset, the mother-of-two has confessed to HELLO! that it is actually a bit of an act. "I've always been an anxious person and I've always struggled with confidence and putting myself out there, which seems completely ridiculous because why am I working in live TV?" she said. "For me, when I am working on TV, I take on another character."

loose women andrea mclean

Andrea McLean says she is anxious, but being on Loose Women gives her confidence

MORE: Andrea McLean reveals traumatic experience that stopped her presenting Loose Women

"It's not that you are seeing a different me," Andrea clarified. "But I am almost being 'TV presenter Andrea' and that's how I sort of get through. So interestingly, for me going to work massively helps because I know that I am good at my job." The TV personality is extremely happy at Loose Women too. "I love my job. I have the best job in the world, what’s not to love? I get to talk to amazing women, interview incredible people, I am friends with the people I work with, so I skip off merrily."

andrea mclean loose women

The TV star adores her job

Andrea added that being on live TV gives her adrenaline. "To me doing live TV is like being a Formula One racing driver. You are in charge of this incredible machine and your job is to make it look super easy," she said. "For me, I know I have done an amazing job when things go wrong. I have an ear piece in my ear and there is a whole gallery of people telling you what to do. So when autocue has crashed, or when a guest hasn’t turned up, I can literally finish the show and feel like I can conquer the world."

MORE: Andrea McLean's fans go wild for rare photo of her 'handsome' son

Despite being open about her struggles with anxiety and panic attacks - which have been written about in her new book, Confessions of a Menopausal Woman - Andrea also feels "incredibly calm" when under pressure in a working environment. "I actually go incredibly calm, I can deal with that. And yet life and other things can throw me off balance," she said.