Denise Welch swaps her signature bleach-blonde pixie crop for a short auburn hairstyle in Channel 5's new comedy crime drama Benidorm Is Murder, leaving fans floored by her transformed look.
The 68-year-old actress, known for her three-year stint as Natalie Barnes on Coronation Street, appears as Ziggy in the new series. Channel 5 shared first-look photos on Instagram, captioned: "First look at @denise_welch in Benidorm is Murder. Starring as Ziggy, the heart and soul of the Laughter Lounge... but behind the spotlight, trouble is brewing."
Fans react to new look
Viewers were quick to comment, with one writing, "I'm here for that woman bl***y icon," while another compared her to Coronation Street legend Elsie Tanner. Others expressed excitement, saying "Cannot wait" and "Obsessed."
Welch's other credits include BBC soap Waterloo Road, Channel 4's Tip Toe, drama Down to Earth, and as a panelist on ITV's Loose Women.
Plot details
The synopsis for Thursday's episode (August 6) teases drama at the Laughter Lounge, where Frank Mann hosts faded game-show star Vince Starky, whose comeback could save debt-ridden owner Ziggy. When doorman Paco finds a rooftop corpse, Dennis uncovers suspicious clues and Rosa unearths grudges, debts, and secrets.
Benidorm Is Murder follows retired detective Dennis (John Hannah), who owns a rundown Scottish bar in Spain. When someone is arrested for murder, true-crime-obsessed barmaid Rosa (Carolina Bécquer) is convinced the police have the wrong person, and the pair team up to find the real culprit.
The series airs Thursdays on Channel 5 from 9pm.
