BBC Strictly Come Dancing star Dr Punam Krishan's son's heartbreaking question about her husband

BBC's Strictly and Morning Live star Dr Punam Krishan's young son once quizzed her over why his dad had been avoiding going near him and asked an agonising question

There can be nothing worse than your child thinking you don’t love them anymore when you are just trying to keep them safe - as was the case with Strictly star Dr Punam Krishan’s husband.

Morning Live medical expert Dr Punam Krishan has signed up for the new, 20th series of Strictly Come Dancing. Speaking about joining the iconic BBC show, she said: "This still doesn’t feel real, I am overjoyed to be a contestant on this year’s show. "I have watched Strictly every year with my family and it feels extra special that it’s the 20th year, I can’t believe I will be the one getting Strictly-fied now. This is so out of my comfort zone, but I’m up for the journey and will give it my absolute all."

As a GP Scottish Punam is no stranger to hard graft and left a medical partnership to become a locum in 2017 after 'burning out'. She and her husband Sandesh Gulhane, also a GP, are outspoken advocates for the NHS and its need for support. She once told BBC Radio Scotland's Sunday Show that healthcare workers have had "no stop, no break, no respite".

Punam - who was also the presenter of the BBC's Laid Bare, in which people have living post-mortems to see how their lifestyles are damaging their health - has been married to fellow GP Sandesh since 2011. The couple share two children together, son Aanish and daughter Ellora.

Sandesh is a Conservative Member of the Scottish Parliament, representing Glasgow. He is the first Hindu and man of Indian descent to be elected to the Scottish Parliament. He has previously spoken about the struggles of working in the health sector during the pandemic while also being the parent of a young family and the strain it put on him personally.

According to the Daily Record, in a speech at Holyrood, he said: "When my lockdown baby was born, I stayed away because of the fear of passing COVID to her. I did not hug her for eight weeks, my newborn baby, but I kept seeing my patients." Sandesh also stayed away from his son in an attempt to protect him and keep him healthy but it had devastating effects. "I kept my distance from my seven-year-old son because of the fear of passing COVID to him," he explained. "One day, he asked my wife why I didn’t love him anymore, had he done something wrong? But like my nursing colleagues, I kept seeing my patients." Punam is joining other celebrities such as reality star Pete Wickes, JLS singer JB Gill and 80s singing sensation Toyah Willcox as they embark on their journey to try and lift the glitterball trophy at the end of the BBC talent show. For the full line-up of stars, click here.

Strictly Come Dancing launches on BBC1 on Saturday September 14 at 7.20pm.