Good Morning Britain star Charlotte Hawkins was back on Monday to present the first half an hour of the show after self-isolating for ten days.
Charlotte, 45, said it was great to be back after she was traced by ITV's own test and trace system, alerting her that she had been in contact with someone who tested positive for Covid.
She said it was "heart-breaking" to have moved into another room in the house, unable to go near her husband and young daughter for ten days.
Speaking to hosts Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid, Charlotte said she convinced herself she had the virus during that time, though she has since tested negative.
She explained: "I was contacted because I had been in contact with someone here at ITV who later tested positive, and because we have got this tracking system here within ITV, I had to self-isolate for ten days."
Susanna added: "And the reason you were in this situation and we weren't as that only you had been in contact with this person and we hadn't."
Charlotte continued: "I spoke to Dr Hilary who gave me advice and I had to move to a different room, I had to keep my distance from my husband and my five-year-old daughter.
"To not be able to hug my daughter Ella Rose for ten days, was so hard, it was absolutely heart-breaking.
"To try to keep my distance, to double mask, I had convinced myself that I did have it, so I am delighted to be here and emerge from that isolation having had two negative test results to reassure myself it was okay."
Susanna confirmed: "That's not a requirement, is it?"
"No," said Charlotte.
"But I was so worried and I felt a huge sense of responsibility for keeping my family safe, it was a really tough thing to do, my heart goes out to people doing it up and down the country.
"I am thankful that my family okay but my heart goes out to people not able to hug their loved ones."
* Good Morning Britain airs weekdays on ITV at 6am
