WATCH: Leah Bracknell gives her first interview since revealing she has lung cancer

She announced her diagnosis last week.

Published 12th Oct 2016

Former Emmerdale actress Leah Bracknell has given her first TV interview since breaking the news last week that she has terminal lung cancer.

The 52-year-old joined This Morning hosts Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby earlier today to talk about her battle.

Since going public with the news Leah and her partner Jez Hughes have set up a GoFundMe page to raise £50,000 for treatment in Germany which she hopes will save her life.

Talking on This Morning she said, “We actually didn’t know it was going to go public at all… we thought, naively perhaps, that friends and family would donate, so it’s been such a strange few days with all the news coming out.”

The goal of £50,000 was hit in just five days and Leah said, “Thank you everybody, it’s really touched us.”

Despite smoking decades ago Leah lived a healthy lifestyle which included rarely drinking alcohol and yoga, so her diagnosis was a complete surprise, "it came honestly came out of the blue," she admitted, saying she "started to feel a little bit breathless", but put it down to stress before she was diagnosed.

WATCH: Leah talks about her diagnosis »

Leah said the NHS is fabulous, but the treatment she is hoping for in Germany isn't available here and has to be privately funded.

WATCH: Leah talks about the treatment she is hoping for »

This Morning is aired on weekdays at 10.30am on ITV.