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Nadia Sawalha opens up about daughter's heartbreaking bullying ordeal

The TV presenter spoke about her daughter's ordeal on Thursday's Loose Women

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Hanna Fillingham
US Managing Editor
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Nadia Sawalha has revealed what she would say to her daughter Maddie's bullies if she were to meet them. The mother-of-two opened up about her daughter's devastating experience on Thursday's Loose Women during a segment about bullies and their victims. The panel – which also included Jane Moore, Denise Van Outen and Christine Lampard – were discussing whether or not bullies should attend their victims' funerals when Nadia spoke out.

The former EastEnders actress said she would ask the bullies: "Do you know how you used to talk to her would end her crying." She then went on to say: "I don’t think they knew [if they are in the wrong]. It's safe to be in the group, to be with the bullies. It doesn’t mean that you are necessary cruel."

STORY: Nadia Sawalha reveals why her daughters are being home-schooled 

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Nadia Sawalha spoke about her daughter Maddie's bullies on Loose Women

Maddie, 15, left school to be taught at home after the bullying made her life a misery, and bravely appeared with her mum in an anti-bullying film back in September, along with stars including Giovanna Fletcher and Tom Daley. Maddie reduced her mum to tears as she recalled painful memories from the past. She said: "At first at school I was kind of ok. It wasn't a big deal to me. I didn't really mind. And I think progressively, across time, it got more to me. It could be stuff said behind my back or literally just looks when you're walking down a hallway, people looking at you with a side eye. It was a tight feeling in the chest."

STORY: Nadia Sawalha breaks down in tears as daughter Maddie recalls being bullied

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Maddie bravely opened up about her bullying experience in September

Maddie continued: "I remember just being nervous because a lot of the people that bullied me there, they'd be on and off. They'd be really nice to me one day and then they'd be really horrible the next day, so it was going in and not knowing how they would be with me." Her words proved too much as Nadia welled up, choking back tears. "You crying?" asked Maddie, giving her mum a hug.