Former Coronation Street star Denise Welch has successfully compelled Woman's Own to publish a front-page correction after the magazine printed false claims about her without evidence. The article, which appeared earlier this year, cited a single anonymous 'source close to the star' alleging 'diva demands' upon her return to the ITV panel show Loose Women after a five-year break.
Welch lodged a complaint with the press regulator Ipso, leading to the magazine's climbdown. The regulator ordered the correction to appear on the front page in the same font size as the original headline, after Woman's Own initially offered only a page-three apology. Welch said the story was written 'purely to humiliate, degrade and embarrass me and I couldn't let it go'.
The magazine did not approach Welch for comment before publication, later telling Ipso it felt no need as the source had been accurate in the past. Welch criticised the industry's reliance on anonymous sources, stating: 'We may not have a right to privacy in the way other people do but we have a right that a source cannot wake up one day and make up two pages of lies which is trailed on the front page.'
Welch noted that the magazine had previously apologised for an inaccurate story about her, which influenced her decision to push for the maximum penalty. She hopes the case will encourage other celebrities to challenge false coverage, saying: 'I really hope that this case makes a huge difference.'
