Latest news with #RoversReturn
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
'I was addicted to food after quitting drinking but shed 2.5st by doing one thing'
The Loose Women star says giving up alcohol is her proudest achievement, but it left her dealing with another issue which almost became an addiction in itself Denise Welch hasn't had the easiest of years so far, with the return of her 'unwelcome visitor' after a clear stretch of five years. Just before Christmas the Loose Women favourite was forced to pull out of an acting job, followed by time off from her ITV job, because of depression and anxiety. 'Some people deal with diabetes, or MS or cancer — my thing is mental illness,' she tells OK! as we sit down for an exclusive catch-up. 'I live with it, and I enjoy the periods in between my episodes.' Denise has now been back on the panel for a few months, and it's very much a case of onwards and upwards — especially with some major changes on the horizon. In May, ITV announced it was merging production teams on three of its daytime shows, and cutting Loose Women and Lorraine back to 30 weeks a year. Although the channel insisted there wouldn't be any 'radical changes' with the panellists, it's understandably prompted a few thoughts about what's next. For Denise, who joined the show in 2005, it's an opportunity to make a return to what she knows and loves best — acting. 'I'm on television because I'm gobby and opinionated, and I think people can forget what I really do, and what I'm really good at, so I'm going to make a concerted effort to go back to what I do and know.' Denise, who celebrated 12 years of marriage to artist Lincoln Townley recently, says Loose Women holds a special place in her heart — not least because the average age of its stars is around 50. 'It's the only show in the country that not only celebrates older women, but reveres and listens to older women's opinions,' she says. Denise has become something of an icon for her age-defying looks and sassy attitude. With her platinum-white pixie cut, often teamed with a striking red lip, at 67 she is brimming with confidence — whether people like her swimwear snaps or not. 'Maybe I'm out to empower women, but I'm definitely out to say, 'F*** off, haters.' I've changed the narrative from 'I'm 67' to 'I'm only 67'. I'll wear swimwear if I live until I'm 97. And if you don't like it, don't look at my pictures. 'There's a lot of misogyny out there, too. So, there's an element of devilment in me as well, which is to say, 'Don't you ever tell any woman what she can and can't wear.' We had Christie Brinkley on Loose Women recently. She's 71 and looks unbelievable.' Denise, who shares sons Matty, lead vocalist and songwriter in The 1975, and actor Louis, with her ex-husband Tim Healy, has worked hard on her confidence — but the starting point was giving up alcohol 13 years ago. By then she was a household name, thanks to roles including Rovers Return landlady Natalie Barnes in Coronation Street and teacher Steph Haydock in Waterloo Road. She's now been famous for more years than she hasn't. 'I can't really remember a time before,' she says. 'It's just how it is for our family. 'Matthew is obviously really famous, and my other son, Louis, is playing the lead in Stranger Things in the West End. I go to the stage door and he's surrounded by people. 'I've always said to the boys, 'You're there because of those people, be as polite and respectful as you can be.'' When Denise got sober, she admits she quickly became 'in danger of replacing one addiction with another' — food. She was binge eating, she says, but signing up to LighterLife was about far more than shifting the extra twoand-a-half stones. 'LighterLife was the only company talking about the emotional side of eating, and using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to completely change my relationship with food. She continues, 'I was very newly sober so many of the things that I was learning through CBT, I was able to apply to my sobriety also.' The repercussions of giving up booze spread far wider than just herself, though. 'My children, my marriage, everything, is down to my sobriety,' she says. 'It's given my children and my stepson, Lewis, the wings to fly without worrying about me. I'm proud of the people I have created as a friendship group around me. That's got to be something down to me? That I still have the same friends I had years ago, and that they love me and they support me. 'I'm proud of some of the things I've done as an actress. It might sound big-headed, but it's the one thing I say I'm f*****g good at. 'And I'm going to concentrate on reminding everybody of that!'
Irish Daily Mirror
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
Coronation Street fans gobsmacked as Sean star's mum outed as co-star in soap
Coronation Street viewers have been left stunned after discovering the identity of Anthony Cotton's famous mother. Anthony catapulted to stardom when he joined the long-running ITV soap, which airs on Virgin Media in Ireland, way back in 2003 as Sean Tully, who has since become one of the show's most iconic and cherished characters. The Rovers Return barman has also been involved in several major storylines over the years - from his numerous failed romances on the cobbles to becoming a father to Dylan Wilson (Liam McCheyne). However, Coronation Street fans have recently been taken aback upon realising that Anthony's mum had previously appeared on the same soap. His adored mother, Enid Dunn, starred on the show a year before her son in 2002. She portrayed Dennis Stringer's (Charles Dale) aunt Joan Lawson in January 2002 at the character's funeral, reports Leicestershire Live. She then made another appearance on Corrie in 2006 in a minor role, this time playing a character credited as Old Crone. She also played a woman who encountered the serial killer John Stape (Graeme Hawley) and she made another appearance in 2014 as bingo player Maureen Rothwell. She played bingo winner Maureen in Corrie in 2014 (Image: ITV) Her last stint on the soap was in 2023, when she played a shocked neighbour of Stephen Reid's (Todd Boyce) victim, Rufus Donaghue (Steven Meo). In addition to Corrie, Enid appeared in shows such as Shameless, Cutting It and No Offence. She also played barmaid Joyce in the fan favourite Peter Kay's Phoenix Nights. Coronation Street's Anthony Cotton has been the centre of fan astonishment as they discovered that his mother, Enid Dunn, was not just a supportive parent but also a bit of a telly star in her own right. On a Coronation Street Facebook fan page, alongside a snapshot of the mother-son duo, a fan posted: "Anthony Cotton and his mum Enid Dunn." His mum appeared on the soap too Another quipped: "She used to be Phoenix Nights yeah?!" A third confirmed: "Yes and Corrie a few times as well!" Someone else penned: "Oh yeah I remember her from Phoenix Nights." A fourth declared: "Well I didn't know that!" In a candid 2021 chat, Anthony shared a heartwarming story with Express about how his mother's actions kept his acting dreams alive after several unsuccessful auditions. Discouraged, he recounted, "I said, 'Oh I think I'm going to do something else' so my mum took up drama lessons with my old drama teacher to prove to me that it's never too late to start and it's just about putting yourself out there." He continued, detailing his mother's dedication: "And then, she did it, she went to some lessons, she got herself an agent and then she auditioned for a League of The Gentleman and she got it." Inspiringly concluding, "She started when she was 56! My mum is inspirational." Coronation Street airs Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8pm on Virgin Media in Ireland. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
Daily Mirror
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Coronation Street Sean Tully actor's mum is soap co-star and fans are only just realising
Coronation Street star Anthony Cotton has been a familiar face on the cobbles for nearly two decades - but some fans are only just working out who his famous mum is Coronation Street viewers have been left stunned after discovering the identity of Anthony Cotton's famous mother. Anthony catapulted to stardom when he joined the long-running ITV soap way back in 2003 as Sean Tully, who has since become one of the show's most iconic and cherished characters. The Rovers Return barman has also been involved in several major storylines over the years - from his numerous failed romances on the cobbles to becoming a father to Dylan Wilson (Liam McCheyne). However, Coronation Street fans have recently been taken aback upon realising that Anthony's mum had previously appeared on the same soap. His adored mother, Enid Dunn, starred on the show a year before her son in 2002. She portrayed Dennis Stringer's (Charles Dale) aunt Joan Lawson in January 2002 at the character's funeral, reports Leicestershire Live. She then made another appearance on Corrie in 2006 in a minor role, this time playing a character credited as Old Crone. She also played a woman who encountered the serial killer John Stape (Graeme Hawley) and she made another appearance in 2014 as bingo player Maureen Rothwell. Her last stint on the soap was in 2023, when she played a shocked neighbour of Stephen Reid's (Todd Boyce) victim, Rufus Donaghue (Steven Meo). In addition to Corrie, Enid appeared in shows such as Shameless, Cutting It and No Offence. She also played barmaid Joyce in the fan favourite Peter Kay's Phoenix Nights. Coronation Street's Anthony Cotton has been the centre of fan astonishment as they discovered that his mother, Enid Dunn, was not just a supportive parent but also a bit of a telly star in her own right. On a Coronation Street Facebook fan page, alongside a snapshot of the mother-son duo, a fan posted: "Anthony Cotton and his mum Enid Dunn." Another quipped: "She used to be Phoenix Nights yeah?!" A third confirmed: "Yes and Corrie a few times as well!" Someone else penned: "Oh yeah I remember her from Phoenix Nights." A fourth declared: "Well I didn't know that!" In a candid 2021 chat, Anthony shared a heartwarming story with Express about how his mother's actions kept his acting dreams alive after several unsuccessful auditions. Discouraged, he recounted, "I said, 'Oh I think I'm going to do something else' so my mum took up drama lessons with my old drama teacher to prove to me that it's never too late to start and it's just about putting yourself out there." He continued, detailing his mother's dedication: "And then, she did it, she went to some lessons, she got herself an agent and then she auditioned for a League of The Gentleman and she got it." Inspiringly concluding, "She started when she was 56! My mum is inspirational."
The Sun
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Coronation Street fans stunned after realising two stars are real-life mum and son
CORONATION Street fans are stunned after realising two stars are real-life mum and son - and they've been hiding in plain sight on the cobbles. From heartwarming scenes to dramatic showdowns, this family duo's connection adds a whole new layer to the iconic Weatherfield drama. 4 4 Back in 1985, Sue Jenkins strutted onto Coronation Street as Gloria Todd, the cheeky barmaid at the famous Rovers Return. She quickly became a staple behind the bar, rubbing shoulders with soap legend Julie Goodyear, aka Bet Lynch. But Sue's soap career didn't stop there - she spent nine years playing Jackie Corkhill in Brookside from 1992 to 2001, then popped up in Emmerdale for a quick five-episode stint as Bonnie Drinkwater in 2008. But there's a twist soap that fans didn't see coming. Sue's got a famous son who also rocked the Corrie cobbles. Richard Fleeshman, who played Craig Harris, joined the cast in 2002 as part of the witness protection Harris family. Craig's story was packed with drama - adopting a goth look that drove his dad mad and becoming Rosie Webster's first boyfriend. The tension exploded when his sister Katy murdered their dad after a messy fallout over her secret fling with Martin Platt. After the family tragedy, Katy took her own life, and Craig planned to run off to Berlin with Rosie. But in the end, he left Weatherfield alone, waving goodbye to the cobbles for good in 2006. Ex-Coronation Street & Strictly star 'headed for divorce' after just two years as she deletes husband from social media For years, viewers have watched them on-screen without suspecting a thing - but behind the scenes, their bond runs much deeper than just acting. The revelation that Sue Jenkins and Richard Fleeshman share a real-life Corrie connection has left fans absolutely gobsmacked on social media. Taking to X - formerly Twitter - one wrote: "That's Richard fleeshmans mum!" Soap's most harrowing teen storylines We take a look at other harrowing teen soap storylines from soaps Coronation Street, EastEnders, Emmerdale and Hollyoaks. Belle Dingle's schizophrenia in Emmerdale - Belle's (Eden Taylor-Draper) traumatic journey in Emmerdale took a dark turn when, after accidentally killing her best friend Gemma at just 16, her mental health began to spiral. The storyline, which saw Belle struggling with her grief and guilt, showcased her battle with hearing Gemma's voice inside her head, leading to a dramatic decline in her well-being. Hannah Ashworth's anorexia in Hollyoaks - Viewers were horrified as they watched Hannah (Emma Rigby), a seemingly innocent teen, spiral into dangerous behavior, starving herself in an attempt to achieve what she thought was the ideal body. As Hannah's condition worsened, the storyline became more intense, culminating in her being hospitalised for two months as she fought for her life. Bethany Platt's grooming ordeal in Coronation Street - Vulnerable schoolgirl, played by Lucy Fallon, was at the centre of one of Corrie's darkest storylines to date when she fell under the spell of her older boyfriend and sexual predator. The controversial scenes saw Nathan groom and manipulate the 16-year-old before coercing her into sleeping with his friends, with one of them raping her. Whitney Dean's abuse from Tony in EastEnders - Since the age of 12, she had been in a twisted relationship with her stepmum Bianca's boyfriend, Tony King. The predator had groomed young Whit (Shona McGarty), making her believe she was in love and planning to run away with him. On her 16th birthday, the traumatised teen finally revealed the years of abuse to Bianca. Tony was swiftly sent to prison sentenced for 13 years. A third penned: "Wow, all this time watching and I never knew that, I can see her son in that photo now." Now 36, Richard is a Broadway and West End actor who has starred in everything from Legally Blonde to Ghost the Musical and Company. He's currently performing as the unnamed Soldier in Stephen Sondheim's final work Here We Are at the National Theatre. Meanwhile, cousins Brooke Vincent, who played Sophie Webster, and Ellie Leach, who played Faye Windass, also both appeared on the ITV soap. And Greg Wood, who played the late Rick Neelan, was actually the real-life brother of Matt Milburn, who played footballer Tommy Orpington. Coronation Street airs on ITV1 and ITVX. 4
Scottish Sun
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Coronation Street fans stunned after realising two stars are real-life mum and son
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) CORONATION Street fans are stunned after realising two stars are real-life mum and son - and they've been hiding in plain sight on the cobbles. From heartwarming scenes to dramatic showdowns, this family duo's connection adds a whole new layer to the iconic Weatherfield drama. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 4 Sue Jenkins strutted onto Coronation Street as Gloria Todd Credit: ITV 4 While her real-life son Richard Fleeshman, who played Craig Harris, joined the cast in 2002 Credit: ITV Back in 1985, Sue Jenkins strutted onto Coronation Street as Gloria Todd, the cheeky barmaid at the famous Rovers Return. She quickly became a staple behind the bar, rubbing shoulders with soap legend Julie Goodyear, aka Bet Lynch. But Sue's soap career didn't stop there - she spent nine years playing Jackie Corkhill in Brookside from 1992 to 2001, then popped up in Emmerdale for a quick five-episode stint as Bonnie Drinkwater in 2008. But there's a twist soap that fans didn't see coming. Sue's got a famous son who also rocked the Corrie cobbles. Richard Fleeshman, who played Craig Harris, joined the cast in 2002 as part of the witness protection Harris family. Craig's story was packed with drama - adopting a goth look that drove his dad mad and becoming Rosie Webster's first boyfriend. The tension exploded when his sister Katy murdered their dad after a messy fallout over her secret fling with Martin Platt. After the family tragedy, Katy took her own life, and Craig planned to run off to Berlin with Rosie. But in the end, he left Weatherfield alone, waving goodbye to the cobbles for good in 2006. Ex-Coronation Street & Strictly star 'headed for divorce' after just two years as she deletes husband from social media For years, viewers have watched them on-screen without suspecting a thing - but behind the scenes, their bond runs much deeper than just acting. The revelation that Sue Jenkins and Richard Fleeshman share a real-life Corrie connection has left fans absolutely gobsmacked on social media. Taking to X - formerly Twitter - one wrote: "That's Richard fleeshmans mum!" Another added: "Her real life son played Craig Harris, son of Psycho Tommy!" Soap's most harrowing teen storylines We take a look at other harrowing teen soap storylines from soaps Coronation Street, EastEnders, Emmerdale and Hollyoaks. Belle Dingle's schizophrenia in Emmerdale - Belle's (Eden Taylor-Draper) traumatic journey in Emmerdale took a dark turn when, after accidentally killing her best friend Gemma at just 16, her mental health began to spiral. The storyline, which saw Belle struggling with her grief and guilt, showcased her battle with hearing Gemma's voice inside her head, leading to a dramatic decline in her well-being. Hannah Ashworth's anorexia in Hollyoaks - Viewers were horrified as they watched Hannah (Emma Rigby), a seemingly innocent teen, spiral into dangerous behavior, starving herself in an attempt to achieve what she thought was the ideal body. As Hannah's condition worsened, the storyline became more intense, culminating in her being hospitalised for two months as she fought for her life. Bethany Platt's grooming ordeal in Coronation Street - Vulnerable schoolgirl, played by Lucy Fallon, was at the centre of one of Corrie's darkest storylines to date when she fell under the spell of her older boyfriend and sexual predator. The controversial scenes saw Nathan groom and manipulate the 16-year-old before coercing her into sleeping with his friends, with one of them raping her. Whitney Dean's abuse from Tony in EastEnders - Since the age of 12, she had been in a twisted relationship with her stepmum Bianca's boyfriend, Tony King. The predator had groomed young Whit (Shona McGarty), making her believe she was in love and planning to run away with him. On her 16th birthday, the traumatised teen finally revealed the years of abuse to Bianca. Tony was swiftly sent to prison sentenced for 13 years. A third penned: "Wow, all this time watching and I never knew that, I can see her son in that photo now." Now 36, Richard is a Broadway and West End actor who has starred in everything from Legally Blonde to Ghost the Musical and Company. He's currently performing as the unnamed Soldier in Stephen Sondheim's final work Here We Are at the National Theatre. Meanwhile, cousins Brooke Vincent, who played Sophie Webster, and Ellie Leach, who played Faye Windass, also both appeared on the ITV soap. And Greg Wood, who played the late Rick Neelan, was actually the real-life brother of Matt Milburn, who played footballer Tommy Orpington. Coronation Street airs on ITV1 and ITVX. 4 The revelation that Sue Jenkins and Richard Fleeshman share a real-life Corrie connection has left fans absolutely gobsmacked Credit: Jim Clarke
