Denise Van Outen Opens Up About Dating, Fame-Hungry Exes, and Her New TV Show with Johnny Vaughan After Their Fallout

DENISE Van Outen CONFIRMS she’s got a new man in our exclusive chat.

In our candid interview, the TV favourite also talks working with BAFTA winner Jessie Buckley, returning to the West End and why teenage daughter Betsy gives her advice about men.

Denise Van Outen says she’s keeping her new boyfriend a secretCredit: David Titlow Denise has been single since splitting from dancer Jimmy Barba in October 2023Credit: David Titlow – Commissioned by Fabulous Magaine Denise with Johnny Vaughan on Channel 4’s Big BreakfastCredit: PA:Press Association

DENISE VAN OUTEN is an open book. She feels like a mate you could have a gossip with over a glass of wine, and has never shied away from sharing details of her colourful love life.

From dating , to marrying – and splitting from – actor , father to her , all the way to appearing on with her then-boyfriend , she has always kept her fans up to date with what is going on.

Until now.

After being burned by former love interests’ motives, who seemed to enjoy the limelight and attention a little too much, she’s sworn an oath to keep her private life just that.

Today, though, she is very happy to confirm that she has found new love.

“I’ve not talked about it yet,” she says, coyly. “But, yes, I am dating someone.

“And for the first time in my life, I have made the decision to keep it private. I don’t need to reveal all the details.

“Before, I always felt that when I was dating someone, I had to put it out there, but I’ve realised you need to keep some things to yourself.

“He’ll remain Mr Anonymous. He’s not in the industry and he doesn’t want to be in the public eye, hallelujah!” she says, smiling.

“I’ve always had partners that want to be on a red carpet and be photographed or be famous, but he doesn’t want that.

“He’s just got no interest in it. I think that’s a good thing, because I’ve had my fingers burned.

“And I’ve had situations before where I’ve put it all out there, then something does go wrong and you just want it to go away.

“Like a couple of my exes, I don’t want to see their faces,” she laughs. “It’s like, I just want to move on and I can’t.”

The 51-year-old presenter has been single since splitting from dancer in October 2023, and even joined in the hope of finding love again, after moving to rural Kent and struggling to meet people.

And while she is keeping the identity of her new beau hidden, it’s clear she’s smitten – and even her daughter Betsy has given him her seal of approval.

“Yes, she does really like him,” Denise says. “That’s all that matters.

“I’ve always felt so protective over . I thought she was super-sensitive, but I’ve come to realise that she’s got a little bit of me in her.

“If she feels like someone’s not being genuine, she’ll distance herself. She reads people very well – better than I do sometimes,” she admits.

“She will say: ‘I don’t know if I trust them, Mum,’ and she backs off.

“I had less of that because I grew up in a bit of a bubble,” Denise recalls.

He’ll remain Mr Anonymous. He’s not in the industry and he doesn’t want to be in the public eye, hallelujah!

Denise Van Outen

“I was only 23 when I started on . Everyone knew who you were and I was too trusting. I just thought everybody was lovely, and people took advantage of that then – sometimes, they still do. I’ve had to learn the hard way.

“Whereas I feel like Betsy reads situations better. I’ll say: ‘Aren’t they lovely?’ And she’ll go: ‘Not sure, I feel like they might be using you a bit.’ It’s good to be like that,” she says proudly.

It’s clear that in many ways, Betsy is a chip off the old block and is keen to follow her parents into showbiz (, who Denise split from in 2013 after four years of marriage, is a West End star).

It’s clear she’s smitten – and even her daughter has given him her seal of approvalCredit: David Titlow – Commissioned by Fabulous Magaine Denise and daughter Betsy, whose father is West End actor Lee MeadCredit: Credit: Instagram /Denise Van Outen

“She’s got a really good voice,” says Denise. “We never pushed her into performing.

“But we always said: ‘If she wants to do it, she’s got to find it herself.’

“She’s doing solos in the school show, and in the summer she’s going to Sylvia Young Theatre School to do a course, which she’s really excited about.”

She’s not the only one excited about it, either. Denise is an alumnus of the famous London stage school, where she mixed with future stars and .

“When Betsy said she wanted to do some sort of performing arts course in the summer, it was a no-brainer, as we know she will be in good hands there.

“ and she was more than just my teacher and principal – she was a real mentor to me, and we always kept in touch. She stayed with me my whole life and became a dear family friend,” says Denise.

She’s got a really good voice. We never pushed her into performing

Denise Van Outen, on daughter Betsy

Betsy turns 16 in May, but Denise says that, unlike some mums, she has found the teenage years relatively straightforward so far.

“I think the hardest time with kids is when they get to like 10, 11, 12, when the hormones surge. It’s all settled down now, though.

“She’s got a boyfriend, who is a really lovely boy from a really lovely family – his mum is really nice – but I’ll follow my own lead and not name him,” she laughs.

This feels like a new stage in both Betsy and Denise’s lives.

“She wants her own space at home and to be with her friends and to do her own thing these days. At first, it was a bit weird. It felt like she was growing up so quickly.

“But then you also go: ‘Oh, I actually get a bit of my life back.’”

Denise now has the opportunity to return to her own passions, including going on the road with her new show, An Evening With Denise Van Outen: Songs, Stories & All That Jazz.

“I’ve always had this idea that I wanted to create a show that I can pick up and put down when it suits me,” she says.

“It’s going to be me on stage talking about my life, my career and sharing stories and anecdotes.

“I’ve been performing since I was seven and I’m 52 now. It’s mad, isn’t it? But I’ve worked with some amazing people and done some amazing things.

“I want to tell those stories, like how I moved in with when we were working on Tell Me On A Sunday in 2003.

“It was amazing, but there was a lot of wine involved – he’s got the most incredible wine cellar!

“We would spend the day together writing, then Andrew would take me to his wine cellar and we’d have a glass.”

Denise has been performing from a young ageCredit: Denise Van Outen

Denise has a long friendship with Lord Lloyd-Webber after appearing alongside him as a judge on a series of BBC talent shows to cast West End stars, including Any Dream Will Do in 2007, where she met ex-husband Lee, and I’d Do Anything in 2008 to find an actress to play Nancy in the revival of Oliver!

The role was won by Jodie Prenger, but it’s the show’s runner-up – Oscar nominee – who has hit the big time.

And Denise says she all the way.

‘Unbreakable’

“I thought she was the most incredible actress. To be fair, me and John Barrowman really liked her, but Andrew was really pro-Jodie. And I get it.

“Everyone championed Jodie because she was brilliant and working-class.

“But with Jessie, honestly, sometimes you can see pure talent. Her acting, even then, was just off the charts. She was amazing. I’m not surprised at all that she’s gone so far in her career.”

Jessie, 36, did speak to Vogue recently about the show, saying she had experienced “unfair objectification” at a time when she was still growing and “trying to move into a space for myself.”

Did Denise ever experience anything similar?

“Oh my god, we all had that,” she agrees. “But thankfully, the world has changed and there is more of a duty of care now.”

We’re great friends again – you just grow up. It was never an argument. We just sort of went our separate ways.

Denise Van Outen, on Johnny Vaughan

One of the most popular shows of the ’90s, The Big Breakfast, propelled Denise and her fellow presenter Johnny Vaughan to stardom.

The pair were inseparable for years, but their in 1999, when Denise discovered that Johnny had been renegotiating his contract without telling her.

She previously admitted: “At that particular time, we were literally like brother and sister. We were best friends, unbreakable.

“The whole relationship fell apart when we started to renegotiate our contracts, because I always felt that we worked together as a team, and that was how it should be.”

Thankfully, they made up after the pandemic and their friendship is clearly – they appeared on Celebrity Gogglebox together and Denise reveals today that they are working on a top-secret TV project.

“I can’t say too much about it, because it’s just getting off the ground. We’re great friends again – you just grow up. It was never an argument.

“We just sort of went our separate ways. Any sort of fallout is horrible. But we’ve come sort of full circle again, and it’s really nice because we get each other.

“When you have that sort of chemistry with a friend or anyone, it just doesn’t go, does it?”

And what’s next for Denise?

“I’m always trying to do so many different things, but I like to have something to focus on.

Kelly Allen all smiles with DeniseCredit: David Titlow

“With Betsy turning 16 soon, it really has given me the freedom to get my career back on track a little bit.

“I did step back from theatre, because you can’t say yes to musicals and West End shows with having a child. It’s eight shows a week, evenings and weekends, which is really hard.

“I take my hat off to all the performers that do it, but I couldn’t make it work, because her father does it. I remember Betsy being tiny and me taking her backstage to my dressing room, which was OK as she was young.

“But I knew that as she got older, I wouldn’t be able to do that.”

She says she and Lee made an agreement that he would stick to theatre and she would concentrate on TV, so she would be around in the evenings for Betsy, and Lee would be available during the day if she needed him.

But now, the world is her oyster.

“I’m able to think about the things that I’d really like to do,” she says. “I’m in talks to do something in the West End, which is great. I’m excited to get back to doing what I love again.”

And we can’t wait to watch her.

• An Evening With Denise Van Outen: Songs, Stories & All That Jazz starts tonight ( Sweeneyentertainments.co.uk/show/an-evening-with-denise-van-outen ).