Loose Women star Ruth Langsford made a candid family admission as she said, "It makes me sad".

During Monday's (August 11) episode of the popular ITV programme, Ruth was accompanied by Mariella Frostrup, Brenda Edwards, and Gloria Hunniford to tackle the day's top stories.

The panel examined the recent overhaul of motoring regulations that might result in drivers over 70 being prohibited from the roads should they fail mandatory vision examinations, as well as "annoying" sofa partners.

The conversation soon shifted to sibling disputes following Olly Murs' estrangement from his twin brother, Ben.

Ruth frankly revealed details about her own relatives and sister, Julia Johnson, who sadly passed away in 2019 aged 62, reports Belfast Live.

"I come from a very small family, and obviously, I lost my sister and we've had childhood arguments, but as adults, I could not imagine there was anything my sister could have done that would make me say, 'Oh, I haven't spoken to her for three years,'" Ruth revealed.

"I really couldn't, and it makes me sad when I hear people saying they have."

Gloria added: "As a parent, I would be devastated and really disturbed if I thought my two boys weren't talking to each other.

"I think as you get older, you have this idea in mind that when I pass, they'll all be friends and carry on the family values, so I would be devastated."

Later on in the show, the panel disclosed their experiences with departed relatives, and revealed how they maintain contact with them following their deaths.

Discussing the loss of her father and sister, Ruth expressed: "We all deal with grief differently and do we actually believe people are in the afterlife or not, it's a very personal thing.

"I don't talk out loud, but I think about my dad and my sister in scenarios. I'll be doing something, watching a film."

She continued: "I'll do something and think, 'Oh, dad, you'd love this'. I'd say it out loud in my head. Or, 'Oh, Julia, you'd love this'. Little things that remind me [of them]... It keeps them alive in our memories."

Loose Women airs weekdays on ITV1 and ITVX at 12.30pm