Loose Women star Denise Welch was left 'devastated' after discovering that her close friend and former co-star Andrea McLean had hidden significant financial struggles from her. The 67-year-old television personality formed a deep bond with Andrea during their 13 years together on the ITV daytime show.
Andrea McLean's financial ordeal
Andrea, 56, who previously revealed that Denise is one of the only two panellists she has kept in touch with since leaving the show in 2020, admitted she did not confide in her friend when she faced a major financial crisis. Despite earning a six-figure salary during her television career, Andrea decided to launch a business with her husband Nick Freeney after departing Loose Women. However, the venture collapsed, leaving the couple hundreds of thousands of pounds in debt.
In an interview with the Daily Mail's You magazine, Andrea disclosed that they sold their home, cashed out her pension, and even pawned two engagement rings to settle the debt. Today, they reside in a rented property in southern Spain.
A book of revelations
The former television star has now authored a book titled 'Shameless', in which she candidly discusses her financial troubles. While Andrea was open with her family about her struggles, she chose not to inform anyone else, including her close friend Denise. Andrea explained that Denise learned about her difficulties when she received a pre-release copy of the book.
Andrea recounted: 'I felt quite bad, actually, because I suppose I should have warned her [what was in the book]. She was devastated [for me] and she was devastated as a friend that I hadn't reached out to her. But I was just trying to fix a problem.'
The rise and fall of a business
Andrea and Nick's business, 'This Girl Is On Fire', started as a blog aimed at women and a shopping website. When the storefront abruptly closed during the Covid-19 pandemic, the couple pivoted to develop an app. The app was intended to offer a series of masterclasses presented by experts as well as Andrea herself. Having declined external investment, they remortgaged their home and took out bank loans to fund the project.
However, unpaid bills quickly accumulated. The couple found themselves injecting £20,000 of their own money each month, with entrepreneur Nick selling his entire property portfolio. Disaster struck in 2022 when changes to Apple's App Store requirements led to the app's rejection. Shortly after, Andrea contracted long Covid, and a year later, the business folded.
A difficult journey to recovery
After a close friend told her that her 'star had faded', Andrea applied for a job at Starbucks but did not even receive a response. By cashing in her pension and significantly scaling back their lifestyle, the couple managed to settle their debts by 2025. Although they now allow themselves occasional celebrations, Andrea noted they are 'still a way off booking a holiday'.
She concluded: 'For a while, I was almost too scared to hope [things would get better]. Because it's the hope that kills you. That was a hard flip-flop for my brain to make, to try and steer it back to being hopeful. But, yeah. I'm there now.'
