Coronation Street legend taken ill minutes before going live on ITV's Loose Women

Coronation Street star Simon Gregson almost didn't make it onto Loose Women to update on his health, after becoming overcome backstage and struggling to breathe

Coronation Street's Simon Gregson almost didn't make it on to Loose Women after he suffered a anxiety attack backstage, with the star due to take to the stage to speak about the crippling health condition which he says was triggered by his early fame and struggles with alcohol.

The 50-year-old actor, who has played Steve McDonald on the soap since he was 15, revealed that his drinking nearly cost him his marriage to wife Emma Gleave. It was her ultimatum that led him to quit alcohol, but this resulted in severe anxiety that forced him to take a six-month break from work.

During this time in 2015, when Emma was pregnant with their third child, Simon sought help and was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. A decade after his diagnosis, Simon appeared on Loose Women on Thursday (Jan 2nd) to discuss his journey and coping strategies, hoping to support others facing similar challenges.

He spoke candidly to hosts Sunetra Sarker, Kelle Bryan, Linda Robson and Dame Kelly Holmes about his progress and what life was like during that difficult period. He revealed: "With me it came to a head in 2015 I had anxiety attacks. I've been having them all day today. No way I can go on I'll just have to go home."

"It just hits you like a ton of bricks and makes you incapacitated. Had them since 1990 and I had children and they started noticing. And they start getting anxiety. I thought I'd passed it on, like a cold and knew I had to get a grip," said the actor reports Lancs Live.

In the same heartfelt interview, Simon admitted he wasn't sure if he could face going live on Loose Women after a panic attack struck just before the show.

"I didn't think I could come on here today but I thought I've got to and I had to be completely open with everybody and say I am having a panic attack," he shared with the panel, who responded with a supportive cheer for his bravery.

On the YouTube channel Deep, Simon opened up about his darkest moment, recounting: "I remember ringing my boss, and he said, 'You okay? '. I went, 'No'. I said, 'I'm in my car, ready to go work, I can't get off the drive. I physically can't drive the car off the drive. I can't do it'."

The actor was requested to return to the set, but his physician intervened, asserting that a significant break from filming was essential: "Initially they said, well, ideally we could do with you back at this point, and it was like being given a goal post to get mentally better for, and that didn't work for me.

"Luckily for me, the doctor was like, 'No, this cannot be that. It has to be six months at least'."

Loose Women airs weekdays on ITV1, from 12:30pm