Denise Welch delivered a heartfelt tribute to her late father, Vin, during her festival debut at Mighty Hoopla, leaving fans thrilled. The 68-year-old actress and presenter surprised the sold-out crowd on Saturday when she appeared as a secret act, performing a special rendition of 'It's Raining Men' at 6pm.
A Performance to Remember
Dressed in a black sequined all-in-one suit, Denise took the stage alongside male dancers and Sink The Pink artists, delivering a standout moment of the weekend. However, the emotional highlight came when she paid homage to her father, Vin, who passed away in September 2021. Vin was known for his flamboyant personality and performed as a drag act under the name Raquel, with Denise's mother often doing his makeup.
Addressing the crowd, Denise said: 'The only time I’m ever backstage at a festival is when I’m with me son, I never thought in a million years I would be doing it for a community that I love and cherish so very much.' Her son, Matty Healy, is the lead singer of The 1975, and Denise is often seen supporting him at major festivals like Glastonbury, Reading, and Leeds.
Love for the LGBTQ+ Community
Denise spoke of her deep connection to the LGBTQ+ community, saying: 'You welcomed me into your hearts many years ago because obviously I am 123 and my dad, my late dad Vin, was a heterosexual drag act in Whitley Bay, get your head around that.' She recalled being taken to the Black Cab in Camden Town during her drama school days instead of McDonald's, and vowed: 'I know things have taken a reverse turn, but believe you me, as an ally, we are going to fight to get things to where they should be.'
The performance received an overwhelming response on social media. One fan commented: 'What a queen!' Another added: 'F***ing legend @denise_welch just like your amazing papa.' Actress Kimberly Hart-Simpson wrote: 'Jesus Christ I couldn't love you more.' Loose Women co-star Brenda Edwards said: 'I wish I had been there to see this,' while Andrea McLean added: 'DENZ!!' with fire emojis. Jenny Powell joked: 'It's raining Den!!' and Coleen Nolan called it 'fantastic.'
Frankie Bridge expressed regret at missing the performance, and Dannii Minogue wrote: 'This emotion!' After leaving the stage, Denise was seen overcome with emotion. When asked about possibly appearing on Strictly Come Dancing, she told The Sun: 'I'm pleading the fifth on that one!'
