Be Informed: 'I want to make him happy': Loose Women's Saira Khan admits she has given her husband permission to sleep with another woman because she's lost her sex drive

.Businesswoman, 46, made the admission on ITV1's Loose Women

.Says she does everything in her power to avoid sleeping with husband Steven Hyde

.Couple have been married for 11 years and raise two children together

.Shot to fame as runner-up on the first series of The Apprentice in 2005

By KATE THOMAS FOR BE INFORMED ONLINE

PUBLISHED: 12:59 GMT, 18 May 2016 | UPDATED: 16:50 GMT, 18 May 2016

Shock confession: Saira Khan admitted on Wednesday's episode of Loose Women that she has given her husband of 11 years permission to sleep with another woman as she can no longer satisfy him in the bedroom

'We used to have a fantastic sex life. I still love my husband, we cuddle up and it's lovely. We've been together for 11 years, but I'm not interested [in sex]. I don't want to.

'I've lost the desire and I find myself making excuses from around 6pm.

The Loose Women panellists never shy away from discussing difficult topics.

And Saira Khan surprised the ITV programme's viewers on Wednesday by revealing she has lost her sex drive and does everything in her power to avoid sleeping with her husband Steven Hyde.

The 46-year-old presenter then made the startling revelation that she has given her partner permission to sleep with another woman as she can no longer satisfy him in the bedroom.

Long-term romance: The TV personality and her husband Steven Hyde have been married for 11 years and raise two children together

'I've lost the desire': The former Apprentice star said she used to make excuses to avoid sleeping with her husband until she told him how she was feeling

Honest: The Loose Women panelists were stunned by Saira's frank confession, but were wholly supportive

The TV personality went on to admit she tried every trick in the book to avoid a tryst with her husband, until she finally fessed up and told him he should sleep with another woman.

She explained: 'The other day, I was dressed up to go out and he told me I looked nice and I was like, "Thanks!", and ran out of the door.

'As soon as he comes home, I panic and start saying, "I'm so tired!". I'm embarrassed to say this but I said to him you can go with someone esle if you want.

'I want to make him happy. He'll kill me for saying this... Am I the only one?'

'I'm not interested in sex': Saira said she still enjoys hugs and kisses, but has no desire to be physically intimate with her husband

'Am I the only one?': Saira's fellow panellists were surprised by her admission, but revealed they weren't always in the mood

While her fellow panelists were surprised by her confession, Coleen Nolan agreed that it was sometimes difficult to get into the right mood.

She said: 'You don't always fancy it and then it takes 20 seconds to get in the mood and sometimes another 20 to do it'.

Saira's confession sparked a flurry of positive comments on Twitter, with many praising the star for her honesty.

Support: Saira's confession sparked a flurry of positive comments on Twitter, with many praising the star for her honesty

One viewer wrote: 'I hear you sister! #loosewomen thanks for your honesty and candid discussion today on this sensitive subject,' while another added: 'you were very brave today, being so frank and honest. In the same boat, as are thousands of others.

Saira admitted she was overwhelmed by the support, tweeting after the show: 'Wow ladies - so many of you out there feel like me I'm not alone. Thank you for all your lovely lovely messages today regarding the sex topic - I really appreciate it!! Xx'

The Apprentice star was also quick to respond to some criticism, after one tweeter told her that 'certain things should be kept in house. Here is hoping the children don't read this'.

Thanks! Saira admitted she was overwhelmed by the support, tweeting after the show

Hitting back: The Apprentice star was also quick to respond to some criticism, after one tweeter told her that 'certain things should be kept in house. Here is hoping the children don't read this'

'I like to share so it can help others and make people feel better that they are not the only ones!' Saira replied.

Saira married internet company boss Steve, from Essex, in 2005 after they met through work in 2002.

In 2008 the couple, who now live in Oxford, welcomed their baby boy, Zachariah via IVF. Saira suffers with endometriosis and had to undergo fertility treatment to get pregnant with her son.

When a second IVF attempt failed, the couple began the lengthy adoption process in the UK before turning to adoption abroad.

The Apprentice star and Steve adopted a baby girl, Amara, now five, from the Edhi Orphanage in Karachi, Pakistan.

Candid chats: The Loose Women stars also dished the dirt about whether or not they did the deed on their wedding nights

'We adopted overseas because we were advised there needed to be a two-year gap between Zac and the child we were going to adopt,' she explained recently to New Day.

'We were told it wouldn’t be possible to get a child in the time frame we were looking at in Britain so we went to Pakistan.'

Saira says that Amara gets on famously with her older brother Zac bar the odd, perfectly healthy sibling argument.

On social media, the star regularly celebrates her 'different' family, with a family shot posted in January accompanied by the post: 'My family is made up of a white Essex dude, an adopted Pakistani daughter, a mixed-race son and me - #embracedifference'

Opening up: Ruth Langsford also discussed her 2010 wedding to long-term partner Eamonn Holmes

On Wednesday's show, the Loose Women stars also dished the dirt about whether or not they did the deed on their wedding nights.

'I did it three times. I remember it well as it’s the last time we did it', Coleen joked. 'Twice at night and first thing in the morning.'

Recalling her 2010 nuptials with long-term partner and co-presenter Eamonn Holmes, Ruth Langsford joked, 'I thought, I really ought to, it’s my wedding night. It wasn't our finest one.'

When Coleen quizzed her, 'Was it with Eamonn?', Ruth was horrified, replying, 'Of course it was!'