Denise Van Outen 'wary' of trusting new boyfriend despite being 'smitten'
Her love life has been anything but smooth sailing over the past few years, but after Denise Van Outen went public with her new boyfriend Adam Butler at Glastonbury Festival, a source claims the former Big Breakfast presenter is 'taking it slow – but she's very happy'.
Loved-up Denise was spotted holding hands with the businessman in the VIP area at the festival, where she surprised fans with a secret DJ gig. According to our source, Denise feels she's finally hit the mark with her new man.
'She's taking her time, but she's never felt happier and she feels this time she's got it right. Her friends and family can see she's in a really great place and are delighted for her. It's been really hard for Denise to trust again after her relationship with Eddie [Boxshall] – it was a big deal for her.
'She wanted to keep this new relationship quiet and not put it all out there, but people who know her can see how happy she is with Adam.'
Denise, 51, told new last year that she felt 'liberated' as a single woman, but things have clearly changed as she couldn't have looked more delighted to be with her new love.
Her blossoming romance comes after Denise's confession that she only took up golf in order to meet men, ditching dating apps and turning to the sport in 2014 after lots of her male friends had started playing.
The TV presenter and DJ shares a daughter Betsy, 15, with theatre star Lee Mead, with the two divorcing in 2013.
Denise told host Russell Kane on TUI's podcast Pack Your Bags, 'I got into it after my divorce, and I wanted to go somewhere where there are just loads of men.
'When you're young, you just go to a nightclub. And I was like, 'I just don't want to spend all night in the nightclub. Where have all the nightclubbers gone now?'
'And I looked, and most of my male friends have grown up and got into golf. I thought, 'Perfect.''
Rumours of a new romance began circulating in April after Adam joined Denise for a Maldives break. The pair were then spotted last month in the Akira Back restaurant at London's Mandarin Oriental hotel, following a series of dates.
Prior to meeting Adam, Denise had dated property developer Jimmy Barba for 18 months, but she confirmed their break-up in November 2023. Last year, she admitted she had joined celebrity dating app Raya in the hopes of finding The One.
So her new romance must be welcome after a tricky few years. Denise's relationship with fiancé Eddie Boxshall broke down in January 2022 after seven years, following revelations that he had been sexting other women.
Denise confirmed the split on Instagram, stating she would 'always treasure the good times' but that it 'saddened' her to confirm the separation. She said later that she was prioritising her self-worth and self-respect.
Our source continues, 'Denise was very hurt after the break-up with Eddie and it took her a long time to find her confidence in a relationship again.
'She's a tough cookie, but wears her heart on her sleeve, so when she's hurt by someone, it hits her hard and she puts her walls up, which most people can relate to.
'She's had a lot of support from good friends like Vanessa Feltz and Myleene Klass, and everyone has been rooting for her.
'Thankfully, she's feeling really happy and strong again, and she won't let her past experiences ruin things for her.'
Last May, Denise told OK! magazine that she was entering her fifties feeling 'blessed' and that, after seven months of being single, she was 'really loving it'. She added that she'd never allowed herself 'breathing space' between relationships.
She said, 'My parents have been married for 55 years and they've always been the benchmark for me when it comes to relationships.
'I hoped my love life would be like that, but obviously things have turned out differently. I'm OK with that. We live in a different age.'
Admitting that she had always 'put everything' into romantic relationships, Denise said that she had changed. 'I'm older and wiser, and because I've had my fingers burnt a few times, I now know what I don't want.'
Adding that she was enjoying going on dates, she said, 'I don't feel pressured to rush into anything. 'When the time's right, then I'll be ready to meet Mr Right. Until that happens, I'm just going to sit back and go with the flow.'
Thanks to her new man, it seems Denise may just have found exactly what she wants, at exactly the right time.
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