Kym Marsh has addressed her absence from Morning Live in a personal chat.
The TV star has been missing recently from the BBC One show that she helped launch in September 2020.
Kym was last seen alongside co-host Gethin Jones back in July.
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Janette Marara, who is best know for being a professional dancer on Strictly Come Dancing, has been hosting the show since July 5.
Earlier this month a BBC spokesperson said Kym was taking time off to "spend time with her family."
But appearing on the show on Friday, Kym explained her absence further, citing family and her own mental health struggles.
She said: "I think it’s fair to say that the last few months have been ridiculously busy with one thing and another for me and my family.
"Starting at the beginning of the year when I had my double hernia op, which should have been much more straightforward than it was, and then we found out that my dad has cancer, and then we caught Covid.
"It was a terrifying time. But of course, what’s affected my family the most over this whole period is my dad’s cancer diagnosis back in March.
"I’ve been off obviously for the last few weeks. And one of the reasons for that is that I want to be here for my dad, I need to be here to support my family. And it was absolutely the right choice to make."
Kym added: "I’ve been able to be around, I’ve been able to be there when they’ve needed me to visit more. And spend time with them really, and just kind of help them coming to terms with everything.
"All we can do is just be there for him, support mum, and help them through what is one of the most difficult times of their lives."
Kym, who played Michelle Connor in Corrie, gave an update on her dad, Dave, saying he is improving but the news of his diagnosis has prompted her to move her wedding to fiance Scott forward.
"We were planning to get married next year," she explained, "but I think dad’s cancer diagnosis and realising just how bad things were, it made us want to bring everything forward, just so that dad gets to walk me down the aisle."
She also said the strain of the last year has taken its toll, revealing: "I have suffered with anxiety attacks in the past and they’ve come back with a vengeance.
"Life’s been pretty difficult for me and trying to support my family and working away was making that really difficult.
"There had to come that point where I just thought 'I can’t do this, I can’t be away from my family, I need to make a choice here, what am I going to do?'
"I started to avoid going places again, which was a sign for me that this is not okay."
Explaining her decision to take time away from the BBC magazine show, Kym added: "I decided to step back from Morning Live to focus on myself and my nearest and dearest, and so went to the doctor and I’ve started to have some help about my mental health, which I think is a really important thing to talk about.
"You’ve got to give yourself a break, and I think that’s what I’ve done.
"It was and for now continues to be absolutely the right decision.
"For now I’m just going to take each day as it comes and not put any pressure on myself, so I’ll check in on the Morning Live family with my own family for now."
However, she warned co-host Gethin: "Don’t be getting too comfortable without me Gethin, please, I’ll see you on the dance floor at the wedding."
Fans were quick to offer Kym their support.
"Kym, thank you for sharing your struggles. We miss you, but it is so right that you take time to look after yourself and your mental health. Take care," one said.
Another tweeted: "Sending all my love to Kym and her family!"
The presenter and actress revealed that her dad has been told he has incurable prostate cancer in June.
Dave, 76, delayed going to the doctors due to the coronavirus pandemic and Kym then revealed the devastating news that the disease has spread to her dad's pelvis, spine, ribs and left leg.
The news came days after Kym revealed she was engaged to partner Scott Ratcliff as he popped the question on her 45th birthday.
Kym and Scott, a major in the army Parachute Regiment, announced the news with a sweet Instagram post.
The couple began dating back in 2018 after being introduced by their mutual friend Antony Cotton, who plays Sean Tully in Corrie.
Last week, Kym was spotted being cheered by revellers as she took to the mic on her hen night with Hear'Say classic.
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