Saira Khan asks Loose Women to replace her with 'transgender or non binary' host

Loose Women star Saira Khan has asked ITV bosses to replace her with “a gay, transgender or non binary” presenter so the show can be “more reflective of the world we live in”.

The telly regular, 50, has quit the show after five years and in her column for The Mirror, Saira confessed the coronavirus pandemic had forced her to re-evaluate her priorities

She’s now made an open appeal to TV chiefs as they seek to hire a replacement.

TO READ SAIRA’S SUNDAY MIRROR COLUMN EXPLAINING WHY SHE QUIT – CLICK HERE

Saira asked for Loose Women bosses to consider hiring someone from the LGBTQ community to make the show more diverse.

In a post on Instagram, she explained: “I’d love my  @loosewomen  seat to be given to either a gay, transgender or non binary person – that will help the show to be more reflective of the world we live in.

“That’s what I would do if I was in charge.”

She went on to explain her decision, insisting the show helped her a great deal but it’s now time to move on and focus on other projects.

Saira added: “So for me change comes at the beginning of 2021 by leaving a familiar seat on  @loosewomen  . It wasn’t an easy decision, but one that I needed to make in order to grow myself in other ways.

“I came to the show a troubled soul and I will eternally be grateful for the platform  @loosewomen  gave me to share, speak up and out.

“I will miss the great women who have become my very close friends. I feel honoured and privileged to have sat alongside them and learnt from them.

“I leave the show feeling I’ve dealt with the baggage and now can enjoy moving forward to grow and enjoy new life opportunities, which includes growing my skincare business  @sairaskinuk  and exploring other Media projects.”

She concluded by insisting she doesn’t want a “formal goodbye” and has turned down the chance to return to the show for a proper farewell.

Saira wrote: “I don’t like formal goodbyes, so I won’t be on the show to look back at my “ best bits”. That’s not how I want to say goodbye.

“My goodbye is in today’s  #SundayMirror@notebooklive  for you to read.”

Her exit comes just weeks after fellow panelist Andrea McLean also decided to leave the show.

Andrea said goodbye in a tearful episode before Christmas.