The Real Full Monty’s Ashley Cain reveals heartbreaking reason he doesn’t shave beard

The Real Full Monty star Ashley Cain moved viewers to tears as he discussed why he would never shave off his long beard.

The former professional footballer, 33, and his ex-partner Safiyya Vorajee tragically lost their beloved daughter Azaylia to leukaemia in 2021 when she was just eight months old. Ashley is now starring in The Real Full Monty – an ITV show that sees celebrities strip off to raise money for cancer charities.

And during a dinner with the rest of the cast on the programme, the ex Coventry City winger opened up on his grief and how he will never shave his beard off because it reminds him of when he used to play with his daughter.

He told how he was living at the hospital with Azaylia during the Coronavirus pandemic so was unable to get a haircut and he started to grow the beard.

Ashley added: "My beard was growing and Azaylia was growing, she used to hold onto it.

"She used to pull me in with it, she used to roll her toes through it and it was our little connection and I just kind of thought, she's touched these very hairs on my face so I'm never going to cut them off."

The fellow celebrities – including Loose Women’s Coleen Nolan, Royal butler Paul Burrell and TOWIE star Pete Wicks – broke down in tears as Ashley spoke.

He continued: "And this beard is my strength and regardless to whether people like it or they don't, it's going to stay on my face and it's just a beautiful memory of the days that we used to laugh and we used to play."

He then laughed a little and added: "I think I'm quite fortunate that it suits me, because it ain't going anywhere."

TV star Coleen, 58, who this year revealed she had been diagnosed with skin cancer, had started the conversation by asking Ashley: "How has this been for you? Has it been hard?"

He replied: "I'm erm, you know, a fighter today. I'm f****** angry. I'm angry, you know. Every single day that I wake up in the morning – I'm sad. Every single day that I wake up in the morning, I'm in pain. I go through mega, extreme amounts of trauma, you know.

“Cancer took something from me that's way more important than my own life and I miss that little girl.”

He went on to say he wanted to do ‘everything he can do in life’ to make a difference so other parents didn’t have to feel how he felt. "And other kids don't have to go through what that little hero went through," he added.

Fans were moved by Ashley's vulnerability on the programme. One wrote on social media: "Ashley Cain’s story of his beard was moving; not cutting it because his daughter touched it & he will forever have that memory. I’ve lost count of things I kept because my brother saw it, touched it, remarked on it. Cancer is vile. But do what gets you through."

Earlier this month, Ashley opened up on feelings of guilt as he plans to welcome his second child, two years after losing Azaylia to cancer. During an appearance on Good Morning Britain, he explained: "I felt slightly guilty, and I felt slightly hurt for Azaylia and I didn't really expect this to be the case.

"But very quickly like I do, I took the responsibility of being a father and I do believe that every child is a blessing."

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