Presenter and DJ Denise Van Outen has revealed that hitting 50 hasn’t dampened her zest for life, describing last summer as her most hedonistic in years. The single actress travelled the globe for both work and pleasure, with one of her standout moments being a wild party in Ibiza alongside Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner.
Despite their age difference, Denise believes she outlasted Angela, quipping: “She’s not as hardcore as me. I rolled out of there about five o’clock in the morning. I’m definitely more hardcore than Angela Raver.”
In August, the duo were spotted dancing in the DJ booth at Hi nightclub, sparking comments on the MP’s conduct. Denise defended Angela, insisting: “You are allowed to enjoy yourself a little. It’s only fair. She wasn’t drunk or anything. She was very lovely.”
“We cheersed each other, then she turned away and raved on. It was a bit unexpected. She was only in there for maybe an hour. From what I understand, she’s friends with Fisher, the DJ.”
However, the season of revelry has left Denise feeling the need for a break. She has decided to take a hiatus from alcohol to ‘recharge her battery’, reflecting on her summer: “This summer has probably been the most sort of hedonistic summer I’ve had since the 90s. I’ve had a lot of fun a lot of going out lot of drinking rosé wine in the summer and enjoying myself. But I’m good at knowing when to stop.”, reports the Mirror.
Denise Van Outen, who parted ways with property tycoon Jimmy Barba last November, is relishing her single status and isn’t shying away from the dating scene. She’s been exchanging cheeky messages with a major Hollywood name on the elite dating app Raya.
Denise shared: “I did connect with one massive Hollywood star. We had a little bit of the chat, but I don’t live in LA, so I thought, he’s not going to come to Chelmsford.
“I loved it [Raya]. I’ve made some friends. I go on dates. I’m not an angel. I’m out having a good time.”
Despite enjoying her freedom, Denise isn’t eager to jump into another serious relationship, especially after hearing about her friends’ less-than-ideal romantic situations. She explained: “My friends in these long-term relationships are all moaning to me anyway. They say they don’t have sex and argue all the time. They try to creep in at night when their other half’s asleep in bed.”
Currently, Denise is focusing on self-appreciation, feeling more content and happier than ever before. She reflected: “I feel happier now than I used to, because I’m more content in myself. As we start to get older, you hear of people getting the illnesses.
“I lost a friend when she was quite young. It made me realise it’s more important to celebrate the fact you’re still here and still able to enjoy yourself and do things.”
Balancing her career and motherhood, Denise is navigating the challenges of raising her 14 year old daughter Betsy, whom she shares with her ex-partner Lee Mead, aged 43. She admitted: “Parenting a teenager is always going to be tricky.”
Denise Van Outen has opened up about her harmonious co-parenting setup, saying, “I’m very lucky that I get on with Betsy’s father brilliantly. So we have a really good relationship as friends. When he picks up Betsy he comes in for a cup of tea. I’m always busy working, and it’s hard to find the balance. I think it’s got easier as Betsy’s got older, as she understands more and she’s less bothered about hanging out with me. She wants to be with her friends, so I feel less guilty about taking certain work opportunities.”
The star is also excited about reuniting professionally with Johnny Vaughan, hinting at new projects with Channel 4: “I’ve got some new shows commissioned with Channel 4. I’m working on with Johnny Vaughan – I’m not allowed to say on what – but I did Googlebox with him this summer, hopefully we’ll get back to doing that again.”
With a packed schedule, Denise is looking forward to a mix of DJ gigs, festival appearances, and an Ibiza residency, alongside more television work: “I’ve got a lot of DJ gigs lined up, great summer festivals, some more Ibiza residency gigs. I’ve got much more telly coming up, which is really good. It’ll be another year of some but not all yeses. I need to allow myself a bit of life as well.”
Additionally, Denise is collaborating with Talking Futures, a campaign aimed at assisting parents in discussing future education and career paths with their children aged 11-18. She features in a new film where she experiences “going back to school”.
For further details, visit talkingfutures.org.uk.
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