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Tag: Denise Welch

  • Emmerdale fans ‘obsessed’ with Denise Welch’s character and want her to be ‘a regular’

    Emmerdale fans ‘obsessed’ with Denise Welch’s character and want her to be ‘a regular’

    In last night’s episode of Emmerdale (Thursday, December 19), Denise Welch made her appearance. And fans adored her.

    When it was announced that Denise Welch would be appearing in Emmerdale for Tom’s court case, there was a lot of online chatter on what it would look like.

    But it’s safe to say her character Heidi did not disappoint.

    Emmerdale's Heidi in the courtroom
    Denise Welch made her Emmerdale debut (Credit: ITV)

    Emmerdale Denise Welch appearance

    Heidi was a member of the jury, and had the task of determining whether or not Tom was abusive. And in a unique format, Emmerdale actually showed us how the jury came to the decision.

    Someone who was pivotal to the guilty verdict was in fact Heidi. From the very beginning she believed Belle’s story. And every time someone challenged her on it, she was determined to make them see the truth.

    Throughout the episode of Emmerdale, Denise had some powerful lines to deliver, and fans were left demanding more.

    Many took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to share their hopes for future appearances for the character.

    One wrote: “Absolutely fantastic from Denise in Emmerdale. She should be brought in full time. Brilliant stuff.”

    Another added: “Loving Denise Welch’s character in Emmerdale. She put it to the jury exactly how it is. Bring her back for more.”

    Denise Welch Emmerdale serious
    Fans call for more of Heidi (Credit: ITV)

    Fans want to know Heidi’s backstory

    A third penned: “Wasn’t sure how Denise would work in Emmerdale when I heard the news. But I am OBSESSED with her. I want to know Heidi’s backstory.”

    That’s what a lot of fans agreed on. When Heidi spoke to her fellow jurors, it sounded like she had her own personal experiences with the subject.

    While she said she knew about it because ‘I’m a woman,’ many fans believe there may be more to explore with her character.

    We don’t know if there has been any talks behind the scenes about Denise making another Emmerdale appearance, but if she does, it doesn’t look like fans would mind.

    Denise wasn’t the only surprise appearance for Tom’s trial, as actor Charles Dale was there too.

    Would you like to see Denise make another appearance in Emmerdale?

    Read more: Tom is locked up – but fans predict huge twist

    Emmerdale usually airs weeknights at 7.30pm on ITV, with an early release on ITVX at 7am. 

    Classic Emmerdale usually airs weekdays at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.40pm and 2.10pm on ITV3.

    Follow our Facebook page @EmmerdaleInsider for the latest Emmerdale news, gossip and spoilers. Or find us on Twitter @EmmerdaleInside. Let us know your thoughts!

  • Denise Welch praises Tom and Belle story as she joins Emmerdale

    Denise Welch praises Tom and Belle story as she joins Emmerdale

    Tom King faces justice as he stands trial for assault and controlling or coercive behaviour in today’s episode of Emmerdale and Denise Welch joins the cast.

    A nervous but determined Belle takes the stand to give evidence about what Tom has put her through.

    Meanwhile, Tom is cocky and eager to take his chance to stick the knife into his wife.

    Tom King takes the stand
    Tom wants to show off to the jury (Credit: ITV)

    Jury service

    But it’s the jury who take centre stage in the episode as they wrestle with the truth about what happened.

    Former Bad Girls star John Ellis, Corrie and Casualty star Charles Dale, and Loose Women presenter and Coronation Street icon Denise Welch all star in the episode as members of the jury.

    Denise Welch plays Heidi, a juror convinced of Tom’s guilt from the start, while Charles Dale takes on the role of Karl who’s definitely on Team Tom – at least to begin with.

    Kenneth, played by John Ellis, is on the fence as the jury begin to consider their verdict.

    Denise Welch in Emmerdale
    Denise Welch plays Heidi – one of the members of the jury (Credit: ITV)

    Denise Welch joins Emmerdale: ‘An honour to be a part of it’

    Former Corrie star Denise said she enjoyed being part of such an “important” episode.

    “I’ve been gripped by the Belle and Tom storyline so to play a head juror in the story’s culmination was an honour,” she added.

    The special episode features stories taken from real-life instances of domestic abuse, with the help of the charity Refuge.

    “My character Heidi was more emotionally involved, so I felt that maybe she had experienced some form of domestic abuse herself,” Denise said.

    Denise Welch, John Ellis and Charles Dale in Emmerdale
    Will the jury believe Belle? (Credit: ITV)

    Campaigning against abuse

    The ITV show Loose Women launched a campaign called Facing It Together earlier this year, intending to shine a light on all sorts of abuse including coercive control. “The subject matter is one I’m passionate about,” said Denise.

    And she added: “To share the jury scenes with Charlie Dale and Jack Ellis and also to see lots of my Emmerdale mates made it a job to remember.”

    But will the jury reach the verdict all the Emmerdale viewers are hoping for? Only time will tell!

    Read more: Christmas Spoilers for Emmerdale: Terror at Home Farm!


    Emmerdale usually airs weeknights at 7.30pm on ITV, with an early release at 7am on ITVX. 

    Classic Emmerdale usually airs weekdays at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.40pm and 2.10pm on ITV3. 

    Follow us on our Facebook page @EmmerdaleInsider for the latest Emmerdale spoilers, news and gossip. Or find us on Twitter @EmmerdaleInside. Let us know what you think!

  • As Denise Welch joins Emmerdale, all of her other soap roles – from Natalie Barnes in Coronation Street to Alison Slater in EastEnders

    As Denise Welch joins Emmerdale, all of her other soap roles – from Natalie Barnes in Coronation Street to Alison Slater in EastEnders

    Denise Welch is joining Emmerdale as Belle’s domestic abuse nightmare finally comes to an end.

    Denise will play a juror when Belle faces her abusive husband Tom in court.

    Of course, telly icon Denise is best known now for her role as a panellist on Loose Women. But she’s no stranger to soaps, either, having appeared in Coronation Street, EastEnders and Hollyoaks.

    Here’s the lowdown on her other soap roles.

    Sally Webster [Sally Whittaker] and Natalie Horrocks [Denise Welch]
    Natalie had an affair with Sally’s husband, Kevin (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)

    Natalie Barnes (also known as Natalie Horrocks) in Coronation Street

    Coronation Street icon Natalie was the reason fan-fave couple Sally and Kevin split!

    She took over son Tony Horrocks’s share of the garage, back in 1997. And she was soon having a steamy affair with Kevin Webster!

    When Sally found out, the residents of Weatherfield were firmly on her side. Natalie was very unpopular for a while. But she got a job behind the bar at the Rovers, and began making friends locally.

    She also found love with Street bad boy Des Barnes. The pair got married but just four weeks later, Des was killed when he was defending Tony from some drug dealers.

    Natalie was devastated, but she picked herself up, and eventually bought the pub and became the latest in a long line of legendary Rovers landladies!

    A romance with Vinny Sorrell followed, and everything seemed rosy, until Vinny ran off with Natalie’s sister, Debs Brownlow!

    Natalie decided it was time to move on and she left Weatherfield for good. Later viewers discovered she’d had Vinny’s baby.

    Denise Welch as Alison Slater
    Alison Slater came to Walford briefly (Credit: BBC)

    Alison Slater in EastEnders

    Back in 2016, Stacey Slater was shocked to discover that her late dad, Brian, had a whole other family that she, brother Sean, and mum Jean, had been kept in the dark about.

    Stacey thought she was being stalked when Kyle came to the Square, but it turned out, he was her half-brother. There was a bit of trouble at first when Stacey didn’t believe Kyle was who he claimed to be.

    But when he revealed he was born Sarah Slater and was transgender, the pair smoothed out their differences. Chef Kyle got a job with Ian Beale and settled into Walford.

    Denise Welch played Alison Slater – Kyle’s mum. Alison had struggled to accept Kyle’s identity.

    Hoping to build bridges, Stacey contacted Alison and invited her to Walford. But despite her efforts, Alison and Kyle couldn’t put their differences aside.

    Trish Minniver in Hollyoaks played by Denise Welch
    Trish came to Hollyoaks to catch up with daughter Maxine (Credit: Lime Pictures)

    Trish Minniver in Hollyoaks

    Maxine and Mitzeee’s mum Trish was played by actress Paula Wolfenden for occasional appearances between 2010 and 2012. When she moved to Hollyoaks in 2021, the role was recast and Denise Welch joined the cast.

    Dance teacher Trish had a rocky relationship with daughter Maxine. But when Maxine’s estranged dad Dave Chen-Williams arrived, things changed.

    Dave’s rejection of Maxine, led to Trish telling him exactly how proud she was of her daughter. Maxine overheard and the pair made up.

    Sadly, it was just minutes before Trish left the village to stay with Mitzeee in LA, but it was the perfect ending for the character!

    Steph Haydock in Waterloo Road

    Denise played modern foreign languages teacher Steph from series one of Waterloo Road until series five. She came back for a guest appearance in series six.

    And now it’s been reported that she’s due to make a comeback in the new season of the school-based show.

    Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm, with an early release on ITVX at 7am.

    Classic Emmerdale usually airs every weekday on ITV3 at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.40pm and 2.10pm.

    Visit our Facebook page @emmerdaleinsider for all the latest Emmerdale news, gossip and spoilers and let us know what you think! Or find us on Twitter @emmerdaleinside

  • Denise Welch’s casting in the Belle plot prompts a very strong reaction among Emmerdale fans – and they are really not happy

    Denise Welch’s casting in the Belle plot prompts a very strong reaction among Emmerdale fans – and they are really not happy

    The news that Denise Welch will be joining Emmerdale as part of Belle and Tom‘s abuse story has not gone down well with fans.

    The year long story, which has seen Belle subjected to abuse by husband Tom, is thankfully coming to an end next month.

    The conclusion will air in a special hour-long episode. However, fans are disappointed that Denise Welch will be part of it.

    Tom King gets the upper hand on Belle Dingle in Emmerdale
    The Tom and Belle abuse story will soon come to an end (Credit: ITV)

    Denise Welch to join Emmerdale

    Loose Women panellist Denise Welch is no stranger to the world of soap. She has appeared in most of them in fact! Denise played Natalie Barnes in Coronation Street and Trish Minniver in Hollyoaks. She also had a guest stint in EastEnders as Alison Slater, as well as playing French teacher Steph Haydock in Waterloo Road.

    It’s now been revealed that she’ll be appearing in Emmerdale. Speaking on Loose Women about the role, Denise said: “It’s a one-off one hour special and it’s the first time Emmerdale have ever done it. And for those of you who are fans of Emmerdale, there is a very powerful year-long story of domestic abuse. Which of course, appealed to me when I knew I’d be part of it because of [Loose Women’s domestic abuse campaign] Facing It Together, and this is a culmination of that story.

    “So the episode takes place exclusively between the court and the jury and I am one of the head’s of the jury called Heidi.”

    The special hour-long episode will highlight the real-life voices of domestic abuse victims and survivors. It will also feature Casualty star Charles Dale and Jack Ellis, who played Jim Fenner in Bad Girls. But it’s Denise’s casting that has prompted the strongest reaction.

    Denise Welch will soon appear in Emmerdale (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
    Denise Welch will soon appear in Emmerdale (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)

    Fan reaction

    Taking to the Emmerdale Insider Facebook page, fans of the show were quick to share their thoughts. And most expressed disappointment at the news. They accused the soap of “scraping the barrel”.

    “What the hell do they want her in it for?” asked one fan. Another added: “Her voice is worse than Mandy’s.”

    A third viewer wrote: “Hope not, she spoils everything she goes in.” A fourth echoed the sentiment and wrote: “She will spoil Emmerdale.”

    Other fans threatened to stop watching the soap, with one saying: “Don’t make me stop watching something I have watched forever.” Others were straight to the point, simply writing, “Can’t stand her.”

    Will she win Emmerdale fans round?

    Read more: Is Tom leaving Emmerdale?

    Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm, with an early release on ITVX at 7am.

    Classic Emmerdale usually airs every weekday on ITV3 at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.40pm and 2.10pm.

    Visit our Facebook page @emmerdaleinsider for all the latest Emmerdale news, gossip and spoilers and let us know what you think! Or find us on Twitter @emmerdaleinside

     

  • Denise Welch joining Emmerdale for Tom and Belle showdown alongside Casualty legend Charles Dale and Bad Girls star Jack Ellis

    Denise Welch joining Emmerdale for Tom and Belle showdown alongside Casualty legend Charles Dale and Bad Girls star Jack Ellis

    Denise Welch is joining Emmerdale for the finale of the dramatic Belle and Tom storyline, according to reports. And she’ll be joined by some other telly legends, too!

    Belle Dingle’s abuse at the hands of controlling husband Tom King is coming to an end – thank goodness. And Emmerdale has lined up an all-star cast for the finale of the dramatic storyline, including former Coronation Street star Denise!

    Belle’s ordeal will come to an end in a special hour-long episode airing this December, highlighting the real-life voices of domestic abuse victims and survivors.

    Emmerdale's Belle is serious in a promo photo
    Belle’s ordeal is coming to an end (Credit: ITV)

    All-star cast including Denise Welch for Belle’s ordeal in Emmerdale

    Now Metro is reporting that the special episode will also feature an all-star cast.

    Denise Welch will play a juror as Belle takes on Tom in court. Denise is known for playing Natalie Barnes in Coronation Street, along with Trish Minniver in Hollyoaks, Alison Slater in EastEnders, and Steph Haydock in Waterloo Road.

    And she’s a regular panellist on chat show Loose Women.

    Denise Welch
    Loose Woman Denise Welch is starring in Emmerdale (Credit: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)

    Soap stars also joining the cast

    Charles Dale will also join the line-up for the special episode. He’s best known as Big Mac from Casualty, but he also starred in Corrie as Dennis Stringer.

    Bad Girls star Jack Ellis, who played prison officer Jim Fenner, also joins the cast for the Emmerdale special episode.

    He also played bookie Harry Mason on Coronation Street back in the noughties.

    Jack Ellis, who played Jim Fenner in Bad Girls will also appear (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
    Jack Ellis, who played Jim Fenner in Bad Girls will also appear (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)

    Will justice be done?

    We don’t yet know how the story will end, but Emmerdale Producer Laura Shaw has promised Belle’s ordeal will be over by Christmas.

    “When we first embarked on this journey we knew we wanted to show domestic abuse, coercive control and manipulation in all its guises,” said Laura.

    “We knew from the outset that Belle would need some sort of closure on Tom. We don’t want to spoil the outcome of this story and reveal what will happen to Tom, but needless to say, Belle’s going to be in a much better place by this Christmas.”

    Will it be a happy Christmas for the Belle? We can’t wait to see justice served – hopefully!

    Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm, with an early release on ITVX at 7am.

    Classic Emmerdale usually airs every weekday on ITV3 at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.40pm and 2.10pm.

    Visit our Facebook page @emmerdaleinsider for all the latest Emmerdale news, gossip and spoilers and let us know what you think! Or find us on Twitter @emmerdaleinside