Olympic gold medallist Denise Lewis made a sensational return to the spotlight this week, turning heads on the red carpet just days after speaking publicly for the first time about the end of her 17-year marriage.
A Dazzling Return to the Red Carpet
The 53-year-old athletics legend commanded attention at the Sports Personality of the Year Awards in Media City, Manchester on Thursday. She chose a striking semi-sheer black lace midi dress with long sleeves, which she paired with classic black heels, showcasing her incredible figure at the star-studded event.
Her glamorous appearance followed a period of personal reflection, having recently confirmed her divorce from music mogul husband Steve Finan. The pair, who share three sons, had quietly separated two years ago, with Finan moving out of the family home in Buckinghamshire last year.
Finding Peace and Embracing a 'Second Act'
In a candid interview on HELLO! magazine's Second Act podcast with Ateh Jewel, Denise broke her silence on the marriage breakdown. She revealed she now feels "at peace" and firmly in a new chapter of her life.
"I think I feel like I've evolved, I feel at peace," she stated. "I want to enjoy and celebrate me. I just know where I am in the queue and it's more towards the front."
Reflecting on what went wrong, the Sydney 2000 heptathlon champion identified a lack of communication as a critical issue, especially during periods of personal change. "When you are starting to change in the marriage, and not checking in with the other person... I think that can be a massive problem," she admitted.
She emphasised that constant check-ins and aligned values are crucial for long-term relationships, noting that failing to prioritise the partnership makes it "really hard."
Reclaimed Confidence and a New Outlook
Now two years on from the split, Denise says she feels more energised and forthright than she has in a decade. This renewed self-assurance empowered her to pose for her first-ever lingerie shoot for Coco de Mer earlier this year, an experience she described as reclaiming her sensuality and control.
"I wanted to reframe what it means to be 50 plus," she explained. "You still have your own sex appeal for yourself, it's you controlling that. It speaks to who I am right now."
This positive personal transformation has also led her to pen a self-help book, Seven Lessons to Thrive In A World Of Competing Demands. Professionally, she has recently stepped back from her BBC punditry role after a decade, following last summer's Paris Games, marking another new beginning.
With her children – sons Ryan, 19, Kane, 16, and Troy, seven, plus daughter Lauryn, 22 from a previous relationship – Denise Lewis is boldly navigating her second act, proving that life after significant change can be a time of powerful evolution and renewed confidence.
