Loose Women star Sue Cleaver hits back at ‘fall out’ claims with Denise Welch: ‘I’ve never fallen out with Denise in my life!’

It’s just after 10 a.m. in Manchester, and the city outside is already humming with the promise of summer. But inside the plush, softly lit studio where I’m meeting Sue Cleaver, there’s a different kind of energy. The kind that comes from a woman who’s spent decades in the public eye, weathered every storm the tabloids could throw at her, and still manages to greet you with a smile that says, “I’ve seen it all—and I’m still standing.”

Sue Cleaver, the beloved actress who brought Eileen Grimshaw to life for a quarter of a century on Coronation Street, is now a regular panelist on ITV’s daytime juggernaut Loose Women. And if you believe the headlines, she’s also smack in the middle of a simmering backstage feud with fellow panelist—and long-time friend—Denise Welch. But this morning, as she sits down for her first major interview since the rumors exploded, Sue is ready to set the record straight.

“Honestly, I’ve never fallen out with Denise in my life!” she exclaims, her voice rising with a mixture of exasperation and humor. She shakes her head, as if she still can’t quite believe how far the whispers have traveled. “It’s quite awful, actually. We’ve still got so far to go in terms of how women are treated in this industry—it’s depressing.”

If you’ve followed British television for any length of time, you’ll know Sue and Denise are hardly strangers to headlines. Both have weathered their fair share of tabloid storms, both on and off screen. But the suggestion that these two stalwarts of the small screen might be at odds? To anyone who’s ever seen them together, it’s laughable.

“We’ve known each other for 25 years,” Sue says, leaning in as if to confide a secret. “We’re close friends. We have a sort of shorthand in the way we communicate. But the press loves to say ‘catfights’—they only ever say that about women, don’t they? They’d never dream of saying it if it was a bunch of blokes presenting something.”

It’s a point that clearly rankles her. The idea that, in 2025, women in television are still being pitted against one another for the sake of a headline. “Actually, we’re very tight,” she says, her tone softening. “But it happens a lot when Denise and I are on together. I suppose we do have a certain chemistry—maybe it’s because we bounce off each other. But it’s never, ever been nasty.”

The rumors, of course, started as they so often do: a throwaway comment, a misinterpreted glance, a moment of on-air banter that someone, somewhere, decided to twist into a narrative of betrayal and bitterness. Within hours, social media was ablaze with speculation. By the next morning, the tabloids had picked up the scent, and the story grew legs.

For Sue, the fallout was immediate—and painful. “It’s not just me and Denise who get hurt by this stuff,” she says quietly. “Our families see it, our friends see it. People start asking questions. It’s like throwing a stone into a pond—the ripples just keep spreading.”

She pauses, searching for the right words. “I love doing Loose Women. I really do. I’ve known the women on that show for years, and we’re a proper little family. Of course, we have disagreements sometimes—who doesn’t? But the idea that there’s some kind of ongoing feud, it’s just nonsense.”

If anything, Sue says, the experience has brought her and Denise even closer. “We laugh about it now,” she admits with a grin. “We’ll be sitting in the makeup chair and one of us will say, ‘Ooh, careful what you say today, or they’ll have us at each other’s throats again!’”

But beneath the laughter, there’s a serious point to be made. “I think the press sometimes forgets we’re real people,” Sue says. “We’re not characters in a soap opera. We have feelings, we have lives outside of what you see on screen. And these stories—they can do real damage.”

It’s a sentiment that will resonate with anyone who’s ever been the subject of gossip, whether on the playground or the pages of a national newspaper. But for Sue, the stakes are higher. After 25 years on Coronation Street, she’s used to living her life in the public eye. But that doesn’t mean it ever gets easier.

“You develop a thick skin,” she says, “but it still hurts. Especially when it’s about your friends.”

And Denise Welch? “She’s one of the kindest, most generous people I know,” Sue says firmly. “She’s been there for me through some really tough times. We’ve supported each other through everything—good times and bad. It’s a friendship that means the world to me.”

The timing of the rumors couldn’t have been worse. Just days after filming her final scenes as Eileen Grimshaw—a character she’s described as “part of my DNA”—Sue was preparing to step into a new role, both professionally and personally. “It was a huge moment for me,” she says. “Leaving Corrie after 25 years, it’s like saying goodbye to a part of yourself. But I was excited, too. I’ve always loved the theatre, and I was about to start rehearsals for Snake in the Grass.”

The play, a psychological thriller by Alan Ayckbourn, marks a return to Sue’s roots. “It’s a full circle moment,” she says, her eyes lighting up. “The Octagon Theatre in Bolton—that’s where I got my first equity card. I’ve done eight or nine plays there over the years. Going back feels like coming home.”

Her stint in North Wales at Theatr Clwyd runs from September 15 to October 4, before the play transfers to Bolton from October 9 to 25. It’s a demanding schedule, but Sue is relishing the challenge. “There’s nothing like the buzz of live theatre,” she says. “It’s terrifying and exhilarating in equal measure. You never know what’s going to happen next.”

It’s a fitting metaphor, perhaps, for her career as a whole. Over the years, Sue has faced more than her fair share of plot twists—both on screen and off. But through it all, she’s remained resolutely herself: warm, funny, fiercely loyal to her friends.

“I think that’s what people respond to,” she muses. “They see that I’m real. I’m not pretending to be something I’m not.”

It’s certainly true of her relationship with Denise Welch. “We’ve had our ups and downs, like any friends,” she admits. “But we’ve always had each other’s backs. That’s what real friendship is about.”

For Sue, the real tragedy of the “fallout” rumors isn’t just the personal hurt—it’s what they say about the way women are still treated in the media. “It’s always women, isn’t it?” she says, her frustration palpable. “If two men disagree on a panel show, it’s ‘healthy debate’. If it’s two women, it’s a ‘catfight’. It’s lazy, it’s sexist, and it needs to stop.”

She’s not afraid to call it out, either. “I think it’s important to speak up,” she says. “Not just for myself, but for all the women coming up behind me. We shouldn’t have to put up with this nonsense.”

As our interview draws to a close, Sue reflects on what the future holds. “I’m excited,” she says simply. “I’ve got this wonderful new play, I’m loving my time on Loose Women, and I’ve got the best friends anyone could ask for. What more could I want?”

It’s a typically understated answer from a woman who’s spent her life in the spotlight, but never lost sight of what really matters. As she gets up to leave, she flashes one last, conspiratorial grin. “And if you see me and Denise having a laugh on Loose Women next week, don’t believe a word of what you read in the papers. We’re just doing what we’ve always done—being mates, and having a bloody good time.”

In a world obsessed with drama, Sue Cleaver is proof that sometimes, the real story is much simpler—and much more inspiring—than the headlines would have you believe. For her, friendship isn’t about grand gestures or Instagram posts. It’s about loyalty, laughter, and the quiet certainty that, no matter what the world throws at you, you’ve got someone in your corner.

So the next time you see a headline screaming about a “massive fallout” on Loose Women, remember Sue’s words. “I’ve never fallen out with Denise in my life.” And from the look in her eyes, you know she means it.