'I was terrified to tell them' Holly Matthews reveals how her children are coping after death of their dad

Waterloo Road actress Holly Matthews has given an emotional interview to Lorraine Kelly - her first since the death of her husband, Ross Blair.

The star has been left devastated after the father of her two daughters sadly lost his battle with brain cancer this summer.

Ross was only 32-years-old when he passed away in August after a three-year battle with a rare brain tumour.

Holly is now raising their two children, six-year-old Brooke and four-year-old Texas, alone.

The 32-year-old mum chatted to Lorraine Kelly about how they are coping now, almost two months on.

'I was just waiting to tell them, knowing that when I did it would pull the rug from under them, but I knew I had to tell them,' she admitted of the moment she broke the heartbreaking news to her children.

Holly even turned to friend, Jeff Brazier for advice, as the mum to his two sons, Jade Goody, lost her battle with cancer in 2009.

'Jeff gave me the confidence to tell them, he said: "They're like adults they need to say goodbye just like us", so I did.'

'I was terrified to tell them, I felt sick. Even as I started to say it my 6-year-old said: "just say it" because she knew.

Holly made sure to be as honest as possible with her children, explaining the medical problems that their father faced. She told them that his body wasn't working anymore.

'I was mindful not to say "daddy's gone to sleep". I was very clear and said daddy's body just stopped working, I had to be honest with them, but they need it.'

Holly explained how she has this conversation every night with her daughters: 'My youngest will ask if I'm still working, if I'm still breathing throughout the day.'

While Ross asked Holly not to be consumed by charity fundraising once he was gone, she intends to continue supporting the Myton Hospices and the Brain Tumour Charity.

She created a JustGiving page to raise funds for the Myton Hospices which has so far passed the £11,000 mark.