END OF AN ERA: Loose Women Star Leaves ITV Show After 25 Years
One of the longest serving Loose Women, Denise Welch, is reportedly leaving the show (Image: ITV)
Long-running ITV daytime show Loose Women is set to wave goodbye to one of its longest-serving panellists as Denise Welch is exiting after almost a quarter of a century. The former Soldier, Soldier and Coronation Street star wants to focus on her acting career. In recent times, she has been hugely in demand. She has won acclaim for her return to the cast of BBC drama Waterloo Road and her performances in Channel 4’s Tip Toe and Channel 5’s new sun-soaked drama series Benidorm is Murder.
Denise shared the news on her Instagram stories excitedly telling fans: “I am leaving Loose Women after best part of 25 years off and on. I did leave for about seven years and went back in 2018, and this show has been part of mine and my family’s life for almost a quarter of a century. I have the most wonderful, wonderful memories,” she smiled.
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“It’s just that acting has always been my first love, and I think the thing I’m best at,” she explained.
“And at the moment, I’m having the most wonderful opportunities coming my way, and I’m grabbing them by the by the you know what’s 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.”
A spokesperson for Loose Women told Express.co.uk: “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.”
Denise Welch has said she is leaving Loose Women as she wants to focus on her acting career (Image: Getty)
Denise first appeared on the show as a guest panellist in 2002 before officially joining the panel as a regular, full-time member in 2005.
She quit in 2013, stating on Twitter she preferred to move forward rather than “turn back time.” However, she returned in 2018 and has been a regular fixture ever since.
As she gets set to depart again, she already has three upcoming projects yet to hit screens.
She will appear in two episodes of the Channel 4 comedy Stepping Up and will guest in one episode of the drama Forever Home. Meanwhile, she is one of the stars of the short film Sarnies, which is currently in post-production.
