Denise Welch leaving Loose Women
Denise Welch has confirmed she is leaving Loose Women to focus on acting.
Denise Welch is leaving Loose Women after more than 25 years.
The Waterloo Road actress has been in demand for acting roles, with five shows released this year in as many months, including the upcoming Forever Home, Stepping Up and Benidorm Is Murder, but hasn't been seen on the ITV daytime talk show since the end of June and she's now confirmed reports she is stepping away in order to focus on her "first love".
She said in a video shared to Instagram: "I'm leaving Loose Women.
"After best part of 25 years, off and on, I did leave for about seven years and went back in 2018. This show has been a part of me and my family's life for nearly a quarter of a century.
"I have the most wonderful, wonderful memories and it's just that acting has always been my first love and I think the thing I'm best at, and at the moment I'm having the most wonderful opportunities coming my way.
"I'm grabbing them by the you know whats and running with it for this new chapter of my life.
"So I just wanted to say that in person to thank all of the people who have shared my stories with me, I've shared my life with you, the good, the bad and the ugly.
"I'm very Marmite, but I cherish all the comments good or bad that I've had over the years and I just hope you wish me well for this new and exciting chapter in my life."
Denise vowed to stay in contact with the "whole gang" who work on Loose Women.
She concluded: "I'll miss everybody but I will remain friends with the whole gang because... we are a happy band of campers. Anyway lots of love, thanks for sticking with me."
A spokesperson for the show declared Denise would be "hugely" missed.
The representative said: "Denise has been such a brilliant part of the Loose Women family and we are going to miss her hugely on the show.
"We are sending her all of our love and best wishes for her next chapter."
The 68-year-old actress recently gave a passionate response to allegations Loose Women has a "toxic" on-set environment.
She told Woman's Own magazine: "Let me tell you this now on the record, it's absolute f****** b******.
"I've been doing that show on and off for 24 years with a seven-year gap, I have never had one argument or cross work - and I swear on my kids - in all that time.
"I'm 68, I would not be working somewhere that I don't need to work at - a toxic environment, life is too short."
Denise insisted that while there are some "big personalities" on the show and heated debates, it's never something that spills off camera.
She explained: "We have got big personalities - me and Kaye Adams, me and Carol McGiffin when she was on, we'd have some humdingers on the set, but we never carry it off, we have a laugh and a gossip.
"I go in, in the morning, into the meeting, and say, 'You'll never guess what's happened!' "
