Denise Welch has been branded the ‘hottest pensioner ever’ as she celebrated her 66th birthday in style.
The Loose Women panellist gave fans an insight into celebrations, as she danced on the deck of her lavish cruise room suite in a red swimsuit, channelling Baywatch as she did.
‘It’s my birthday!! I’m officially a pensioner!!! Here’s to the old birds!!! Come oooooon!!!!’ she wrote on X.
The star looked as fabulous as ever, as she continues her cruise around the Mediterranean, having previously posted from Rhodes.
Over on Instagram, Denise told fans that while she has so much to be grateful for, her birthday is ‘bittersweet’ following the death of her mum, 12 years ago today.
She wrote: ‘Today I celebrate becoming an ‘old age pensioner’ with a birthday boomerang!!! I’m 66!!! WTAF??!!!
‘But I’m grateful to have got this far!! It’s taken a lot of ups and downs to get here but here I am and very happy.
‘A wonderful marriage to@lincolntownley, 3 amazing sons, Matty, Louis and Lewis.
‘My sister and my nieces and nephews. The Townleys. A grandson Theo and I’ve been free from clinical depression for 5 yrs!!!!’
She went on: ‘Of course May 22nd will always be bittersweet as it’s 12 yrs today since Mum died.
‘She would have been 88 this yr and believe me, she would still be wearing swimwear and looking fabulous!!
‘I hope she’d be proud that I’m sober, still working hard in my chosen profession and still getting my tit* oot for the lads!!! And lasses to be fair as I have to keep my lesbian friends happy!!!
‘Happy birthday to me and miss you loads mama!! Love you.’
She was showered in support and celebratory messages from fans, with Jess writing: ‘Hottest pensioner ever! Happy YOU Day, Denise! I hope your day is amazing!’
Donna said: ‘Denise you are a constant torch in this midlife wilderness! We follow your light. And you look FABULOUS. Happy birthday xxx.’
TV star Christine McGuinness also commented ‘Happy Birthday you beautiful soul’ while former Loose Women panellist Andrea McLean said: ‘You’re amazing Denz. It’s great to see you so happy, you deserve it all. Happy birthday me old mucker!!’
Denise has previously spoken about her depression battle, reportedly saying in her book The Unwelcome Visitor: Depression and How I Survived It: ‘Because of my mental illness, there were times I didn’t know if I was going to make it through.
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‘Alcohol made things worse. I drank a lot, reaching for anything to take away the pain and keep me going … to lift the isolation and loneliness. It put me into kind of a dead zone. For the two or three hours I was actually consuming alcohol, it obliterated my illness.
‘That is why so many people with depression drink. During the day, I often hid in my dressing room, sleeping or pretending I was asleep, so I didn’t have to talk to anyone.’
The former Corrie actress has also spoken about her sobriety before, saying in 2022 as she celebrated 10 years sober: ‘Stopping isn’t easy and staying sober is a lifestyle but it’s a much much better life. So today I’m happier and healthier in my 60’s than I was in my 40’s and 50’s.
‘Today I’m thinking of all those on the threshold of a major change and I can tell you it will be the best thing you’ll ever do.’
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Loose Women airs weekdays from 12.30pm on ITV1.
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