Denise Welch is starring in Graham Norton's Forever Home on Channel 5, marking a return to acting after announcing her departure from Loose Women last month. The 68-year-old is playing Moira Crottie, the well-meaning and suspicious mother of Carol, in the six-part drama.
Why Denise Welch returned to acting
Denise, who has acted less in recent years, said acting has always been her first love. In a video announcing her exit from Loose Women, she explained: "I'm leaving Loose Women after the best part of 25 years off and on. I did leave for about seven years and went back in 2018, and this show has been part of mine and my family's life for nearly a quarter of a century."
She added: "I have the most wonderful, wonderful memories, and it's just that acting has always been my first love, and I think the thing I'm best at."
Forever Home on Channel 5
Forever Home, an adaptation of Graham Norton's 2022 novel, debuts on Channel 5 on Monday, September 14, at 9pm. The darkly comic mystery and domestic family drama follows Carol, whose quiet life unravels after discovering dark secrets hidden within her partner's home.
A synopsis reads: "When Carol discovers a long-dead body hidden in the basement of her home, the horrific realisation is undeniable – she's living with a killer. The story that her husband's first wife ran away never to be seen again now looks like a lie, and the fact he's insisted on never selling the house suddenly makes sense. But one dark family secret is soon to be replaced by another."
Cast and Denise's career
The cast includes Amy Nuttall, known for playing Chloe Atkinson in Emmerdale from 2000 to 2005, as well as Lewis Cope, Kevin Whately, Samantha Bond and Jenny Walser. Denise is best known for playing Natalie Barnes in Coronation Street from 1997 to 2000 and Trish Minniver in Hollyoaks from 2021 to 2022, with a recurring role as Alison Slater in EastEnders.
Denise, who began on Loose Women in 2001 and returned in 2018 after a seven-year break, recently appeared in Channel 4's Tip Toe this year. She will also appear in a new six-part Netflix series from Friday Night Dinner creator Robert Popper alongside Timothy Spall, Alexandra Roach, Robert Webb and Louise Brealey.
