Lorraine Kelly opens up on husband's 'panic' over side-effect of having famous show

Lorraine Kelly has shared that being "approachable" on her ITV show means she gets a lot of public attention, even in the supermarket - and it's sometimes unnerved her husband of 32 years, Steve. Talking at this month's BAFTA TV Awards, she told Express.co.uk and other press that he sometimes looks panic-stricken as he adapts to the amount of interaction she receives in public.

"It's the kind of unique bond that [I've] got with the audience. People] really do consider you to be their [real-life] friend," she exclaimed. "When I'm out shopping with my husband, and we're wheeling the trolley, and somebody comes up and starts talking, I can see the panic in his eyes because he goes, 'How do we know them?'"

Lorraine usually responds: "Well, we don't. It's just somebody that watches the show!'" However, she added: "The thing is, it's wonderful that people feel that they can come and talk to me, that I'm approachable, and above all, that they trust me with their stories."

She added that she considers herself to be an advocate for LGBT rights, explaining: "I don't care who you are, what you do, everybody gets treated exactly the same. We just all have to be a little bit more tolerant of each other," she declared.

"It's when somebody sits down and tells their story and you listen to them - all of a sudden they're a human being and not a label, and] that's when greater understanding happens, I think." Meanwhile, Lorraine stood up in support of British Eurovision candidate Olly Alexander after he failed to get a single point from the British public amid a backlash about his comments on the Union Jack flag.

Olly had suggested the Brit flag was too "divisive" and "nationalistic", sparking protest from the public and calls for him to be withdrawn from the competition for being "unpatriotic".

However, Lorraine stood in his corner, admitting she'd affectionately "belly laughed" throughout his entire performance.

"Oh my, I was belly laughing. [The performance in Malmo] was nuts, absolutely nuts and crazy and bonkers - but he'll be fine," she exclaimed, adding that she "absolutely loves" him.

"He handled the scandal that he got no points from the audience... so well. Of course he's going to be crushed, but he'll bounce back, he'll be absolutely fine!"

Meanwhile, Lorraine exclusively told Express.co.uk her top tips for dealing with online trolls, suggesting that by ignoring them, they will become as insignificant as "ants".

"David Attenborough gets trolls. David blinking Attenborough, who is God, you know. That just shows you how silly it is," she exclaimed.

"Mute them! If you block them, they know they've got to you, [but] if you mute them, they are ranting in an empty room like ants with megaphones, so don't even give them the time of day."

Meanwhile, Lorraine revealed she was delighted about the prospect of becoming a grandmother, jokingly referencing her husband's surname as she revealed she will, like the famous apple brand, soon become a "Granny Smith".