Loose Women star Denise Welch has dropped a hint about her next television project following her appearance in the Channel 4 thriller Tip Toe. The 68-year-old actress is returning to her North West roots as she teases a new job in Newcastle.
Return to Roots
Denise Welch is well-known for her extensive television career, having appeared in all four major British soaps. One of her most iconic roles was as Coronation Street's Rovers Return landlady Natalie Barnes from 1997 to 2000. She also played Steph Haydock in the hit BBC drama Waterloo Road, making a comeback after a 15-year absence. Originally starring as Head Teacher, she returned as a supply teacher during a staffing crisis.
Tip Toe Success
Recently, Denise featured in Channel 4's new thriller drama Tip Toe, which centres on Leo and Clive, neighbours in Manchester for nearly 15 years. As life appears to calm down, tensions escalate, turning neighbours into mortal enemies. The series explores how language becomes ammunition and views become extreme, questioning security.
Denise portrays Diane in the third episode. Speaking about her role, she said: "Diane finds herself on her own at 67, but still with her needs and her desires. It's so important to see women in that way. We're so used to seeing the nana roles, forgetting that we still want to remain sexually active."
She added: "I'm only in it for one episode, episode three the best one. I am a nana in real life and I love it, but we are so much more than that."
Denise noted the series was produced with urgency: "It is needed right now and that's why everyone was rushing urgently so it would be ready for right now. No one knows how to have a conversation anymore... There's so many people I go, if I had a conversation with you then you'd understand. That's what we're missing."
New Project Tease
Posting on Instagram, Denise hinted at her forthcoming project as she returns to her North East origins. She wrote: "Loving working in Newcastle with @izzysorbs What a hoot!!"
This follows her completion of filming a new six-part Channel 5 series titled Forever Home, also shot in the North East. Set to broadcast later this year, it is adapted from one of Graham Norton's bestselling novels. The narrative centres on a wife who makes a chilling discovery, prompting her to suspect her husband might be a killer. Channel 5's synopsis reveals what audiences can expect from protagonist Carol Crottie after finding a corpse in her basement.
At the time, Denise said: "The north east will always be my Forever Home so to make a series there with this title was the perfect job for me. Filmed in beautiful Northumberland surrounded by Geordies was as good as it gets. Cast and crew, none of us wanted it to end. I hope you'll enjoy what we created as we're very proud of it."
Tip Toe is available to stream on Channel 4. Loose Women airs weekdays at 12:30pm on ITV and ITVX.
