Cynthia Nixon shocks viewers with bald head after shaving off her trademark red hair to play cancer patient

As Sex and the City's Miranda Hobbes, she was one of TV's most recognisable redheads.

But Cynthia Nixon unveiled a stark new look on Live With Kelly this morning.

The actress, 45, surprised viewers with a bald head after shaving her locks off for her role in the Manhattan Theatre Club production of Wit.

She plays cancer stricken poetry professor Vivian Bearing in the play, which opens on January 26 at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre.

Kelly Ripa began the interview with the quip: 'So what's new?'

 After the blonde host complimented the star on the shape of her head, Cynthia said: 'I thought it was kind of gonna be no muss-no fuss, but I have to shave it every day!

'It's got kind of a five o'clock shadow, and you don't want to go on with that,' she continued.

'I was always kind of curious to see what it would be like. I like it; I don't think I'm gonna keep it forever.'

She follows the footsteps of Who’s the Boss actress Judith Light, who also shaved her hair for the same role a decade ago.

Of course, it is a role close to Nixon's heart - she herself discovered she had the early stages of breast cancer during a routine mammogram in 2006.

She had a lumpectomy and radiation - but no chemotherapy - and continues to take the drug Tamoxifen, which blocks the actions of estrogen and is used to treat and prevent some types of breast cancer.

Of her stage character, Cynthia said: 'She's really at the top of her profession. She's a professor of 17th century poetry. She's the best; she knows she's the best.

'She gets a really bad cancer diagnosis and she goes through this really heavy-duty chemo and she meets that challenge, but she learns a lot about herself.'

Meanwhile, Nixon has also opened up about her sexuality in a candid new interview.

The star, who is engaged to her long-term partner Christine Marinoni - with who she has an 11-month-old son Max - says it was her decision to become a lesbian.

  Cynthia - who was with former partner Danny Mozes for 15 years and had two children, Samantha, 15, and nine-year-old Charlie, with him - said: 'I gave a speech recently, an empowerment speech to a gay audience, and it included the line 'I've been straight and I've been gay, and gay is better.'

'And they tried to get me to change it, because they said it implies that homosexuality can be a choice. And for me, it is a choice. I understand that for many people it's not, but for me it's a choice, and you don't get to define my gayness for me. A certain section of our community is very concerned that it not be seen as a choice, because if it's a choice, then we could opt out.

'I say it doesn't matter if we flew here or we swam here, it matters that we are here and we are one group and let us stop trying to make a litmus test for who is considered gay and who is not.'

Cynthia insists she hasn't always been gay and finds it 'offensive' that people say she has.

She told The New York Times: 'Why can't it be a choice? Why is that any less legitimate? It seems we're just ceding this point to bigots who are demanding it, and I don't think that they should define the terms of the debate.

'I also feel like people think I was walking around in a cloud and didn't realise I was gay, which I find really offensive. I find it offensive to me, but I also find it offensive to all the men I've been out with.'

How does she do it? Victoria Beckham is super slender in her first lingerie shoot since the birth of baby Harper;

 She brought little Harper into the world just last July, but Victoria Beckham has already posed for her first lingerie shoot - and she looks incredible.

The 37-year-old graces the March edition of Numero magazine in Japan in white corset underwear by Rochas which shows off her enviably toned and slim physique.

But astonishingly, considering how fantastic the fashion behemoth always looks, she has revealed that she's always been too nervous to let husband David, 36 , watch her model.

 When asked who would be in her fantasy front row, she replied: 'My husband. David has never been to any of my shows as I'm incredibly nervous and I need to focus and concentrate, apart from him Tilda Swinton. She's so striking and I would love to dress her. She's incredible looking and I love that she seems so confident in herself she doesn't feel the need to conform.'

She also discussed her vision for the future of her company, explaining: 'We are researching retail and e-commerce opportunities as the moment. I rarely get chance to go out shopping, everything I do is online and I believe that will play a part of the future.'

But added: 'Contrary to what people say I have no interest in doing a children's line; there are lots of people doing that very well already.'

The mother-of-four strikes a sultry pose in a blue leather trench coat by Burberry on the cover of the magazine.

The designer's outfit reveals a hint of black lingerie beneath and is unbuttoned to display her bare legs.

Mrs Beckham has been given a fierce makeover with a straight, layered hairstyle with an eye-skimming fringe.

Victoria's focus on fashion week is likely the reason behind her rumoured hesitation to stage yet another reunion with the Spice Girls.

 According to reports over the weekend, the girl band are hoping to reform for a one-off performance for the London 2012 Olympics.

Mel B and Geri Halliwell are understood to be particularly keen for the plans to go ahead, but a representative for the group says it is all just whispers for now.

'I am not aware of the Spice Girls doing the Olympics - there are always interesting offers that come in for the girls to reform and perform, but as you know they are busy with other careers, wives, mothers etc and these things take a lot of time, planning and commitment,' the spokesperson said.

 'If a great opportunity came along I'm sure each of them, Victoria included, would give it due consideration but I am not aware of any plans for them to perform together at this time.'

In her personal life, Victoria and husband David have just confirmed that the family is to stay in Los Angeles after months of rumours.

David, 37, has signed for another two years with the LA Galaxy, a move he has joked was driven by the need to fund daughter Harper's 'ridiculous wardrobe.'