Denise Van Outen has finally disclosed the reason she ended a 23-year feud with her former Big Breakfast co-host, Johnny Vaughan. The duo, who were one of Britain's most beloved breakfast television partnerships, will reunite on Celebrity Gogglebox.
The Background of the Feud
The pair famously presented the hit 90s programme together until Denise's departure in 1999. They also co-hosted BBC's Saturday-night series Passport to Paradise in 2004. However, their friendship deteriorated over contractual disagreements.
Denise's Revelation
During a 2011 appearance on Loose Women, Denise admitted she felt Johnny had gone behind her back to renegotiate his contract independently. She said: "The whole relationship fell apart when we started to renegotiate our contracts because I always felt we worked together as a team and that's how it should be. We created it together."
She added: "Not just us, but the rest of the team working on the show. I always had that mentality that it was about all of us. But Johnny and I know there are other influences involved, and agents and everything, but he was negotiating separately from me. I found out and obviously confronted him, and I realised then at that point that our friendship had gone in two different directions, and for me it was tarnished. That's why I left the show because I knew at that point that it would never be the same."
The Reconciliation
Denise and Johnny eventually reconciled and reunited on screen for the first time in two decades on Steph's Packed Lunch in June 2023. Denise shared: "We speak all the time, and we keep saying we need to do something together, and this just feels like the perfect time for us. I can’t wait, I’m so excited."
Celebrity Gogglebox Reunion
Earlier this month, the pair embraced for a Celebrity Gogglebox shoot. Denise told i Paper: "We were both a bit stubborn, but we’ve come full circle now, and we’re great friends. We do Celebrity Gogglebox together. We too send each other silly memes and stuff and just have a laugh."
Upcoming Series
The upcoming series will feature a mix of returning and new celebrity duos, including Rylan Clark with his mum Linda, Vernon Kay and Paddy McGuinness, Bez and Shaun Ryder, and Roman and Martin Kemp. New pairings include Vogue Williams and Joanne McNally, Olivia Attwood and her mum Jennifer, Gladiators' Harry and Matt, George Clark and Max Balegde, and Julian Clary and Nigel Havers.
