Coronation Street’s Shobna Gulati joins Loose Women

Actress Shobna Gulati is to join the panel of ITV’s Loose Women. The actress bows out of Coronation Street later this month where she has played Sunita Alahan in two stints from 2001 onwards.

Shobna said: “I’m delighted to be joining the Loose Women team. It’s a show I have watched and loved for years.”

Shobna will share her feelings with panellists Carol Vorderman, Lisa Maxwell, Carol McGiffin and Sherrie Hewson when she phones for a chat on today’s show (Friday 8 March).

Executive Producer Sharon Powers said: “We’re thrilled that Shobna will become a Loose Woman – she is a very exciting addition to the team.”

As well as her Corrie character the actress is also well known for her role as Anita in Victoria Wood’s BBC sitcom Dinnerladies.

She will join regular panellists former Countdown co-host Carol Vorderman, ex-GMTV weather host Andrea McLean, radio presenter Carol McGiffin, singer Jane McDonald and television host and executive Janet Street Porter.

Shobna is also in good company on Loose Women with fellow actresses from Coronation Street Denise Welch, Sherrie Hewson and Sally Lindsay also on the regular line up. Other actresses on the show include Crossroads’ Linda Robson and Lisa Maxwell from The Bill.

Loose Women launched in 1999 and in its early years had a ever-rotating panel of female personalities, with two main hosts in Kaye Adams and Nadia Sawalha. In recent years however the show has stuck to a more regular line up of loose ladies.