She was the ultimate bubbly morning presenter to wake up to on 90s magazine show The Big Breakfast. And now Denise Van Outen feels like she’s having a “second wind” as she names a name for herself as a DJ.
Denise longs for a return to the freedom of the 90s and said: “Now we’re all living in a Big Brother house where we’re constantly being watched and monitored with algorithms on your phone. I miss the freedom – the 90s were a lot of fun. I feel really lucky to have had that time where we never had phones or anything like that.”
As well as presenting, acting and singing, Denise is making a name for herself as a DJ with her inclusive Discoliscious nights proving a massive hit this summer.
She said: “Nightclubs don’t really exist anymore unless you book a holiday somewhere like Ibiza. I remember going out in London and you had multiple choices of places to go and dance.
“Now when you do go, 90% of the time people are filming and not dancing. DJing is not something I ever thought I’d end up doing but I’ve grown up with music and used to be a little clubber in the 90s.
“We’re going to be taking over a venue in Ibiza next summer. That’s a string to my bow I never thought would happen.”
After turning 50 in May, the Basildon-born lass is in more demand than ever.
Her Channel 4 show Secrets Of The Supermarket Own Brand earned a BAFTA Scotland nomination. And next year, there’s a secret ITV project along with another job with former Big Breakfast pal Johnny Vaughan after the pair thrilled fans on Celebrity Gogglebox in June.
Denise, whose daughter Betsy with ex-husband Lee Mead is 14, says: “There will be something exciting happening with Johnny again next year. We have really been enjoying reconnecting. Working with Johnny is great because whenever we’re seen together it seems to remind people of a really good time in their lives.
“If anyone’s got kids and they get to this age of having a teenager, you feel like you’re out the other side. I feel like I’ve had a second wind.
“There were a lot of things I couldn’t do because I didn’t want to be away from Betsy. The majority of the time I’ve been a single mum. It’s been hard and I’ve had to say no to a lot, like West End shows because of wanting to be around in the evening and work abroad.
“It’s hard trying to juggle everything but now things I used to feel embarrassed about workwise, there’s a bit of respect because people say, ‘You’re still here doing it’.”
(Image: Instagram)
Denise has travelled back to the 90s with Talking Futures, a national campaign and online resource which helps parents talk to their 11 to 18-year-olds about their future education and career options.
She stars in an online short film, which playfully shows parents how much the world of education has changed since they were at school themselves. And she explains why they shouldn’t rely on their own outdated experiences when it comes to advising their teens.
Talking Futures research found 58% of parents don’t fully understand the range of qualifications now available to their child,
with 29% of parents of teenagers believing university degrees are the only way for their kids to be successful.
Fewer than one in five parents realise becoming an aerospace engineer (18%), paramedic (17%), advertising executive (13%) and paralegal (13%) can be achieved via an apprenticeship.
Denise added: “I did assume Betsy would want to be in the entertainment industry – she’s got a really good voice – but I’d never push her into it. She really likes writing and recently had a poem published but she doesn’t know what she wants to do yet.”
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
