\'Coronation Street\' star Sair Khan has revealed her mother died this year.
The 31-year-old actress - who plays Alya Nazir on the ITV soap - has taken to Instagram to share the devastating news that her beloved mum passed away and tell her followers that she is struggling to cope with her loss.
Sair made her emotional post after taking part in new reality TV show \'Sink or Swim\' which sees a number of celebrities attempt to swim the English Channel and, as part of the programme, Sair went to visit a hypnotherapist to help her deal with the anxiety she has experienced since losing her parent.
Her Instagram post read: "My Mum died. It\'s so hard for me to say those words without getting a lump in my throat. Let me tell you a thing or two about the lady I called Mama. She was strong and fierce and a little bit sassy. You definitely wouldn\'t mess with her. In primary school I desperately wanted my independence, the last thing I wanted was my mother walking me to school. I fought and argued with her and sometimes she let me set off alone and although I hardly ever looked back I always knew she was just a few steps behind me.
"The protective lioness who would never let me come to harm. Beneath her toughness there was a love so pure. I didn\'t admit it but I was scared and so thankful for her watching over me, I know she still is."
Sair concluded her touching post by admitting her grief has been so painful that at times her "whole body has ached" because of the "raw pain" but she is now "learning to heal".
She wrote: "This year I have felt a loss so profound that my whole body has ached. I\'ve cried enough tears to fill the English Channel. I\'ve felt raw pain and I know I\'m not the only one. I stand in solidarity with all of you who have lost a parent, a friend, or anyone that has shaped you into the person you are today. I honour them and I honour my Mama ... I\'ve learnt to swim but I\'m still learning to heal. Grief is a suspicious thing but the last two months of swimming have been a much-needed release. If you\'re a non-swimmer and our show has sparked an interest then I encourage you to safely explore your curiosity because there are loved ones watching over us making sure we\'re safe."
