Denise van Outen's 'rocky' past and 'betrayal' with Big Breakfast co-star

04 December 2023 , 19:00

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Denise van Outen is back on screens this evening fronting another hit Channel 4 show.

Tonight, the long-standing presenter unwraps the secrets of supermarkets' own-label festive food for Christmas Secrets of Supermarket Own-Brands. While the 49-year-old has made a name for herself on the West End stage, she shot to stardom with the channel's iconic The Big Breakfast as a comedic duo.

She fronted the '90s gameshow alongside presenter Johnny Vaughan and their on-screen chemistry became so powerful that jaws dropped and cameras flashed every time they appeared together. But things weren't as simple as they seemed on the surface. Here, we take a moment to remember the rocky past she shared with her former co-host.

Denise van Outen's 'rocky' past and 'betrayal' with Big Breakfast co-star qhiqqhiquihuinv

Johnny's and Denise's chemistry was said to be off the charts (Ken McKay/REX/Shutterstock)

Denise van Outen's 'rocky' past and 'betrayal' with Big Breakfast co-star

Viewers were convinced they must be doing the business in real life. (Ken McKay/REX/Shutterstock)

Denise and Johnny's relationship had its fair share of betrayals and fizzled out eventually. The two, who famously fronted the Channel 4 early morning show from 1998 to 2001, had an accidental pairing on the show, but it was enough to convince the bosses that they had something special. Over the next two years, they flirted, bantered, and dressed up as Scousers in tracksuits, obese Americans, or Frank and Pat Butcher from EastEnders.

Viewers couldn't help but speculate that the two were doing the business in real life, but Denise denied the rumours as she was seeing Jamiroquai lead singer, Jay Kay, at the time, and Johnny was married to Antonia Davies. "Everyone expected we had a little thing going on. But I think the reason we could take it so far and flirt so much on TV was because we were both in very secure relationships," she said.

TOWIE's Chloe Brockett makes cheeky dig at Saffron Lempriere during filming

Denise and Johnny's relationship had its fair share of betrayals and fizzled out eventually. (PA)

But in February 1999, Denise made a shocking announcement. She revealed that she was leaving the show to pursue her acting career, leaving fans baffled. Rumours of a fall-out between Denise and Johnny started doing the rounds, but nobody knew the real reason behind it.

The show tried to find a replacement for Denise, but the results were disastrous. Teenage model Kelly Brook failed to impress viewers and even Liza Tarbuck couldn't replicate the killer chemistry that Denise and Johnny had. The ratings of the show plummeted, and it was deemed unsalvageable. Denise finally returned in September 2000 for the show's final four months.

But what went wrong? Why did Denise leave the show in the first place? It would take almost two decades for Denise to reveal the real reason behind the fallout. It turned out that the argument was over pay, as is often the case in the showbiz industry. "At that time we were like brother and sister. We were best friends, unbreakable...The whole relationship fell apart when we started to renegotiate our contracts," Denise told ITV's Loose Women in 2017.

The show tried to find a replacement for Denise, but the results were disastrous. (LINDA DUFF)

"The whole relationship fell apart when we started to renegotiate our contracts because I always felt we worked together as a team and that’s how it should be. We created it together. Not just us but the rest of the team working on the show. I always had that mentality that it was about all of us. But Johnny and I know there are other influences involved, and agents and everything — but he was negotiating separately from me.”

When Denise found out Johnny was negotiating without her, it was the beginning of the end of their friendship. Realising that their chemistry would "never be the same," Denise quit the show. And when she returned in 2000, she hoped things would be different. But alas, it was too little too late. The iconic duo had reached their expiration date, and it was time to move on.

The pair reunited however for a partnership on Capital Radio, however it ended in a bitter split in 2008, leaving fans devastated and wondering what could have gone so wrong so quickly. The feud only grew more intense when Denise accused Johnny of controlling the show and turning down her microphone, leaving her with little to no airtime.

In 2018, Denise decided to extend an olive branch to Johnny (DAILY MIRROR)

But after years of not speaking to each other, Denise decided to extend an olive branch to Johnny in 2018, posting a throwback picture from their Big Breakfast days. Fans were ecstatic to see the two together again, and many hoped for a reunion on the show. However, it wasn't until the pandemic that the two finally put their differences aside for good. According to Denise, they have been messaging each other frequently during the lockdown and have come to realise that their previous arguments were just not worth it.

Denise told the Mirror: "Johnny and I have had a bit of a rocky relationship over the years for various reasons and, funnily enough, we’ve messaged a lot in lockdown. These situations make you reflect and realise some of the silly niggles and arguments you have are just not worth it."

While Denise Van Outen and Johnny Vaughan's feud may be a thing of the past, their personal lives have taken some unexpected turns. Johnny is no longer married to Antonia and Denise announced in July 2013 that she and Lee Mead were separating after four years of marriage. The two share a daughter, Betsy, who they now co-parent.

Denise was also previously in a relationship with commodities trader Eddie Boxshall, but recently announced their breakup in January 2022. The couple had been living together in Chelmsford, but unfortunately, their relationship came to an end.