Denise Van Outen has spoken out in defence of Doctor Who actor and Dancing On Ice judge John Barrowman amid claims he exposed his manhood while filming various TV shows throughout the years.
The historic claims, which surfaced last week and prompted MP Alec Shelbrooke to call for ITV to remove Barrowman from next Dancing On Ice, are alleged to have led to Torchwood executive producer Julie Gardner reprimanding him.
Denise, 46, who is set to return to the stage later this month at Proud Embankment’s All Star Cabaret, has told Daily Star that while she has been witness to such antics, she insists they were never done in a malicious way and were simply light-hearted fun.
The starlet went on to add while there clearly is a line that must not be crossed when it comes to conduct, she questions why allegations are only now being bought to light.
(Image: Getty Images)
Denise said: “I’ve worked very closely with John several times. We were judges on the Andrew Lloyd Webber show together.
“John has a very humorous and fun personality. Anything that he has ever done has always been in jest and I have never been offended by anything he has ever done.
“I know people do joke about the fact he has exposed himself in the past but it has always been done in a fun, humorous way.
“I suppose I don’t know if anyone has been offended by it but I haven’t been offended by it.
“I like John and I don’t think… I feel like fingers are being pointed now that is a bit unnecessary for him.
“He has never done anything offensive to me. I have seen all of him though but I wasn’t offended by his manhood.”
Speaking to The Guardian earlier this month, John apologised for his actions saying: “With the benefit of hindsight, I understand that upset may have been caused by my exuberant behaviour and I have apologised for this previously.”
Not stopping there, Denise went on to add that she believes context is everything and no one she has ever been around has made her believe John left them feeling uncomfortable.
(Image: Karis Kennedy Photography)
She continued: “I feel anyone who knows John knows he has got a very funny sense of humour and I think in all of the years he has been on TV it’s only now that people are saying something and actually it is a little bit unfair.
“Because if they had an issue at the time then they should have said it at the time.
“I have worked with years ago and I just used to laugh at him. It was just like ‘oh John, shut up’.
“But John to me is just funny and I’ve never ever been offended by his behaviour.
(Image: BBC Studios/James Pardon)
“Look how cheeky I used to be in the 90s as well. I was a bit of a, yah know, sometimes there was a laugh and a joke.
“Everything has just gone a little bit… and I get it, rightly so there is a line that shouldn’t be crossed but I don’t feel that John has ever crossed a line in my company.”
Hours after our interview took place, Big Finish, who produce Doctor Who and Torchwood audio dramas shocked fans by confirming they have pulled plans to release the upcoming title John Barrowman – Torchwood: Absent Friends.
Barrowman, who plays Captain Jack Harkness, was also dropped from Doctor Who: Time Fracture.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
