Sherrie Hewson reveals the reason why she quit Loose Women

TV presenter Sherrie Hewson has revealed why she quit her role as a panellist on ITV's Loose Women.

Speaking for the first time since announcing her departure live on air, Loose Women's longest-serving panellist revealed she plans to return to her acting career, and even hinted at having her sights set on breaking America.

Sherrie told the Mirror: 'I had a chance to go to Hollywood early in my career but I turned it down and I always wondered whether I'd done the right thing.

'I have a friend who's a casting director in LA and he sent me an email saying I’d be perfect for work over there now.

'He said they love British actresses who are older as we can still move our faces. Acting has always been my passion and I take it really seriously, so I think it’s time for me to go back to that full time.'

It seems Sherrie has had plans to act in America for some time, but only now decided to quit Loose Women because she finally 'felt safe to go'.

'Over the years I'd thought, "I wonder if it's time to go now..." and it wasn't. Instinctively, I stayed. And instinctively, I've left now because it felt safe to.

'With all the things that had happened to me, I kind of let the acting go a bit. Loose Women became my life. That wasn't good because what I am is an actress, that's what I do for a living – and I'd let it slip through my fingers. That disturbed me a lot.'

Sherrie, 65, originally revealed the news that she'd be leaving the show during a live broadcast, telling her fellow hosts that 'it's time'.

'I said I wouldn't get upset and I'm not going to cause it's joyous. I think Loose Women is one of the most important shows on television,' she began.

'I think everybody relates to it and when I work in Benidorm which I'm there five months a year, there are 1000s of women out there who come up to me every day and say thank you to all the girls.

'They relate to one of us always and they don't necessarily like all of us, but mostly they do and they all say 'thank you, we've been through what you've been through, the loneliness you've been through, or the bad times, sad times, we all watch you and we go "oh my god if they can get through it so can I" and it's been incredible.'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIdtw1_nszU

'I've been here 14 years and when I first came I was in not a good place, my husband had gone and I was not happy. These girls have been amazing, they've got me through everything and it's been wonderful.'

She added that the cast had got her through many of her hardest times, including a period of stress where her hair was falling out, and being declared bankrupt.

'All the time these girls were here for me, and they got me through everything', she repeated.

Sherrie says she reached a turning point five years ago, when she was offered a role on Benidorm as Joyce Temple-Savage, the new manager of the Solana Hotel, and was thrilled at the chance to return to her first love, acting - a joy that she's continued through her more recent role on the new series of Are You Being Served?

'I just want to say that on here, on my seat, I've told everything, I've said everything haven't I Coleen? It's all been out there, we all give everything on this show and that's why I think, everybody out there, ladies who watch at home, thank you, because for your following, for your caring, for your love of me, and of my daughter and my family, it's been absolutely amazing.'

'I've told as much as I'm sure you all want to hear, so I'm going to be leaving Loose Women, because it's kind of time, you know? I've said everything there is, all of this, and so I'm leaving this seat, so somebody else now can sit on the seat for 14 years, and tell all their stories.'

However, she did hint that 'like Arnold Schwarzenegger, I'll be back'.

'It is going to be au revoir though, not goodbye,' said Andrea McLean, to which Sherrie responded 'Absolutely. Loose Women is in my DNA, I have a thing that goes right through my body that says Loose Women, like a rock in Blackpool, so it will never ever leave me.'

Coleen Nolan added 'Can I just say Sherrie, it doesn't matter what panellists come on the show, now, in the future or ever, there will never be another Sherrie.'

Sherrie's last show will air on September 5th.