Gail's a better person without her hair.

Tearful star reveals her inner secrets

Boyfriend James on beauty's brave battle to rebuild her life

The new boyfriend of TV host Gail Porter claims that losing her hair has made her a better person.

James Lloyd believes Gail, 35, has finally found out that looks are not so important.

The cameraman, who fell for Gail a year ago when they worked on the TV show Dead Famous, said: "Gail was a blonde bombshell when I met her.

"I used to meet her in Soho and I could see who she was just by her hair.

"But I actually think losing her hair has been good for her. It's got her to accept herself more. Life goes on."

James, 31, speaks for the first time about his love for Gail on a TV documentary about her alopecia.

He said: "At first, I suppose it was sort of a freak of nature because she would be brushing her hair and clumps were falling out of her head.

"I would wake up and there would be loads of hair all over the pillow but we both thought it would pass."

Sadly, Gail has now been told by doctors that she may never get her hair back.

She contracted the stress related condition after battling anorexia and suffering post-natal depression following the birth of daughter Honey.

She also endured a split from husband, Toploader guitarist Dan Hipgrave.

Before alopecia struck Gail, whose bum was famously projected on to the House of Commons by a lads' mag, was regularly named in the top 100 of the world's beautiful women.

Gail's mum Sandra, has been left devastated by her daughter's hair loss.

She is shown in the TV film leafing through old pictures of Gail at the family Hair Loss in Portobello, near Edinburgh.

Sandra said: "I feel shattered. Gail's just had so much put on her recently but hopefully after she gets over this stressful period the hair might come back. I don't want to imagine her the rest of her life with no hair."

Gail breaks down several times during the programme and admits that she often feels ugly.

But it's the thought that three-year-old Honey will never remember her with hair that upsets her most.

Gail said: "Honey says she's looking forward to me getting my hair back so she can play with it.

"She's never going to know me with hair and that's an upsetting thought."

Gail is seen visiting a laser therapist in a bid to get her hair to grow but when only a tuft appears she gets James to shave it off. Later, she breaks down as the expert warns her that her hair may never regrow.

She comes to Scotland to tell to Sandra and the women hug as Gail dissolves in tears when she breaks the news.

One Life - Gail Porter Laid Bare is on BBC1, Wednesday at 10.40pm.