Denise Welch left ‘Loose Women’ fans speechless when she suddenly quit the show in 2013, but four years on from her departure, she has revealed the real reason for her exit.
The former ‘Celebrity Big Brother’ winner - who was one of the longest-serving panellists, occupying a spot from 2005 to 2013 - has told of how becoming teetotal left her feeling differently about what she was prepared to offer viewers.
Reflecting on her stint on the ITV daytime show during an interview with HuffPost UK, Denise said: “’Loose Women’ was very good to me for many years and I love the fact the public got to know me as Denise and I was bring a lot of awareness to things I was passionate about, but I was ready to stop talking about myself.
“I gave up alcohol and everything changed for me and I just didn’t want to share in that way.”
She continued: “I’m still friends with all the girls that I used to be there with, but I’d done it for so long that people had forgotten I was an actress. I needed to concentrate on going back to that because it is my first love and that’s what I do best.
“I love presenting, and if the right project comes along, I’ll jump as it, but as long as it’s me presenting something about something else, not me talking about myself.”
Of her dream presenting gig, Denise admitted she would like to make a mental health documentary, having just made her own short film about living with depression.
“I’d love to do a three-part documentary about mental illness over the ages, because - and this sound ridiculous - but I’m very lucky to suffer from mental illness in this century rather than last,” she explained. “A lot of people still think of electric shock therapy.”
Denise also downplayed talk she could reunite with former partner in crime Carol McGiffin on a new show.
“We did talk about it, but now that I’m sober, I don’t know if I could cope with her!” she joked.
“Carol is one of my best mates and I absolutely adore her.”
She added: “We all talk on a group text every day. I spoke to Vorders [Carol Vorderman] and Jane McDonald the other day and we’re all still in touch.”