Applegate underwent a double mastectomy in a bid to beat the disease following her diagnosis in July (08).

But she admits she kept her cancer secret from her co-stars.

She tells talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, "I told my make-up and hair people and people that are really close to me just so I had a protection wall so that no one was pushing me."

And the 36-year-old confesses she had been reluctant for a time to hug people "but now I'm good".