Denise Welch fights tears on Good Morning Britain over early relationship with son Matty Healy

Denise Welch appeared to be choking back tears as she appeared on Good Morning Britain. The Loose Women star swapped one ITV studio for another as she joined Susanna Reid and Martin Lewis on Wednesday's edition of the news programme.

She was on the show to chat about her own mental health journey, which she has continued to be open and honest about over the years, amid the annual Mental Health Awareness Week.

While appearing on the news show, Denise, 64, reflected on how she experienced postnatal depression following the birth of her eldest child, The 1975 frontman Matty Healy, as she discussed the song he later wrote about her struggles, titled She Lays Down.

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"It was the most terrifying thing, and the reason we see tragic headlines is because people don't want to die, they want to stop the pain," she told the GMB hosts. "Had I not had my family, I was then married to Matty’s dad, I would not have survived.

"Matty grew up knowing mummy had episodes of being poorly and when he was a successful performer he said, 'I've written this song for you'."

Becoming emotional, Denise continued: "I used to like, I still get emotional about it, because I said to Matty, when he was older, I wouldn't have traumatised him as a child.

"But I used to lie down on the floor and, I'm not religious, but I used to pray to something to help me love my child." As her voice cracked, Denise added: "Because it took away the ability, depression takes away your ability to love.

"And that's when my spiral into, you know, drink and drugs and all the horrors that then happened, thankfully sober eleven years, but that's why. There's no excuses for things but there's often reasons