Denise Welch leaves Loose Women after 25 years to focus on acting
Welch confirmed her departure on Instagram yesterday, explaining that she wants to pursue new opportunities in her original profession
By Callum Wells
Denise Welch has announced she is leaving Loose Women after almost 25 years, stating she is stepping away to concentrate on acting.
The TV personality confirmed her departure on Instagram yesterday (13 August), explaining that she wants to pursue new opportunities in her original profession.
Welch first appeared on Loose Women as a guest panellist in 2001 and became a permanent member of the panel in 2005. She left in 2013 before returning in 2018.
“Acting has always been my first love and, I think, the thing I’m best at” – Denise Welch on why she’s leaving Loose Women
“I’m leaving Loose Women after the best part of 25 years, off and on. I did leave for about seven years and went back in 2018,” she said in a video.
Welch went on to explain why she had decided to leave the ITV show, referencing the acting work she has coming up.
“This show has been part of mine and my family’s life for, well, 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.”
She also said she was entering a new stage of her career, adding that she was “grabbing them by the you know whats and running with it for this new chapter of my life”.
Denise Welch’s acting credits
Welch has continued to work as an actress alongside her presenting career. Her credits include Coronation Street, Waterloo Road, Hollyoaks, and Tip Toe.
She is also part of the cast of Forever Home, a six-part Channel 5 adaptation of Graham Norton’s novel.