90s pin-up Denise Van Outen, 50, reveals all on love life & says ‘if it wasn’t for dating apps I’d have no romance’

SHE was the Nineties pin-up every teenage lad dreamed of dating.

But despite her age-defying good looks, says it is harder than ever to find “the one”; after moving to the countryside.

The 50-year-old presenter, who has ditched city living for a more sedate life in rural , says: “When I was younger, there was the option to go out.

“But now I live in the country, it’s not like I’m able to just go to the pub. Even if I went to my local, they’re all my neighbours who I know anyway, so that’s of no value to me.”;

Denise, who has a 14-year-old daughter, Betsy, with her ex-husband , 43, has ditched any hope of meeting a man “in real life”; and instead relies on dating apps.

“I’m still on my Raya ,”; she reveals.

“I’ve gone on quite a few dates with different people. I’ve seen so many celebrities [on Raya], but you aren’t allowed to say who is on there.

“It’s really funny, as they try to match you — and some people who pop up are my mates. But it’s been really fun.

“I’ve done less of it just because it’s been winter, but summer’s coming. Watch this space.”;

More than a quarter of now start online, but the majority of women still prefer to meet men in real life if possible.

On the plus side for women, there is a significant gender imbalance on dating apps, with approximately 70 per cent of users identifying as male and just 30 per cent as female.

For Denise, apps are now her only option.

“Actually, for me, dating apps are a really good thing,”; she explains.

“I don’t know how else I would meet people if I wasn’t doing that.

“I’ve got Betsy, so I can’t just go out on a week night to a pub to meet someone. The only way I can do it is through an app. When I go out to DJ, I’m actually working and I don’t hang around. I’m in and out of the venue, so I don’t get to speak to people.”;

Denise has been single since ending things with backing dancer-turned- property developer Jimmy Barba, 55, in October 2023.

The pair started dating after she dumped her partner of seven years, Eddie Boxshall, in January 2022, after finding out he had been messaging dozens of women online — while they were busy planning their wedding.

Denise previously dated Jamiroquai singer Jay Kay, 55, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels actor Nick Moran, 55, and was married to West End performer Lee for four years.

But while Denise is busy swiping, she is aware her daughter is upstairs in her room, also on her phone.

“Nine times out of ten, she’s in her bedroom doing homework or chatting to her mates, so that’s the only time I’ve got,”; Denise says.

I’ve got Betsy, so I can’t just go out on a week night to a pub to meet someone. The only way I can do it is through an app.

Like many parents of , she is concerned about the amount of time her daughter spends on her mobile phone and keeps a close eye on what the teenager is looking at.

“It is frightening,”; she says. “At one point, I did say, ‘No more phone in the evening’, but she told me she needs it for school.

“She has to use it for lessons and homework — she genuinely does.

And then she chats to her mates, but I check her algorithm and there’s nothing bad on there.”;

According to a 2023 survey by , 72 per cent of UK parents have expressed concerns about their teenagers’ mobile phone use. But only 40 per cent actively monitor their children’s online activity or use parental controls.

“Betsy is clued up on it [internet safety],”; Denise says.

“I think her school in particular has been great with it, which is good. But there’ll be a lot of parents who don’t monitor it. And you really should do it if you can.

“I do worry that teenagers have their own little language — things you don’t really understand. And they’re so influenced by everything. I took Betsy and two of her friends to the Thorpe Park preview day with lots of TikTokers.

“They were all chatting and I had to keep saying, ‘What’s that?’ and they’d say, ‘Oh, that’s a thing’.

“They had to explain it all to me as I didn’t know any of it.

“There’s this whole new generation where everything is on their phones and they believe everything they see. And it is worrying.”;
Australia recently passed the world’s first social media ban for under-16s, while in the UK the Online Safety Act is striving to ensure tech companies take more responsibility to keep children safe — something Denise agrees with.

“I do feel like there needs to be something put in place to protect children, because it is really worrying and they are so influenced by everything,”; she says. “There are girls Betsy’s age feeling anxious about their phones.

“I would like to see stricter rules around social media, because at the minute it does feel like you can just do what you want and it’s a free-for-all.

“Some of the things kids see online are shocking.

I do feel like there needs to be something put in place to protect children, because it is really worrying and they are so influenced by everything.

“I have a friend whose daughter was exposed to something really quite graphic online. She was only 11 and ended up in therapy because she was so traumatised. That needs to stop. I’m thankful that Betsy is a really good girl compared to some girls her age.

“She mainly looks up music, but every now and then stuff will just pop up on there. I’m grateful she is sensible and we talk about everything.

“It’s just us and we’ve got a very close relationship. She knows she can always talk to me.”;

Denise and Betsy are inseparable and the former Big Breakfast host says they went out for lunch on Mother’s Day with “all the girls”; — her sister Jackie, her mum and her niece.

At home, Denise is always on the lookout for ways to save.

“I do love a bargain,”; she says.

“I love a good deal and I look for the yellow stickers. I actually did that yesterday at my local . I bought some breaded cod for tonight. It’s going out of date today, but I’ve saved money and I’m going to eat it.

“I’ve learned not to get caught up on best before dates.

Savvy shopper

“I’m a bit old school. My nan used to always cook for us and she would just open something to check it didn’t have mould, then throw it in.

“I hate food waste, so I rarely throw anything away. If we are in a restaurant, I will leave with a doggy bag.

“My friends hate it as we are often going out for the night afterwards.”;

Now Denise is using her experience as a savvy shopper to front the new show, Secrets Of The Supermarkets.

“For this show, we’ve gone to different supermarkets and found out how they keep ahead of the trends,”; she says.

“They are all so competitive, so we show the tricks they use to entice customers in — whether that’s creating a viral product or something unusual in the bakery.”;

She says what she has learnt has revolutionised her shopping habits.

“The thing that came as a shock to me was how many items all come from the same factories, but with different labelling,”; she adds.

“And it’s the packaging and things that we fall for. People think that own brand stuff is cheap and not nice, but it is from the same place.

“I would never say I was a snob, but with ketchup I would always go for a well-known brand.

“I would think other ketchups wouldn’t be as nice. But actually, they are — and you’re saving money when buying them.

“We’re all past opening someone’s fridge door and thinking, ‘Oh, they’ve got things from the discounters’ or ‘That’s own brand’.

“I don’t think people actually care. In fact, there’s just no shame in it at all, because everyone’s trying to save money.”;

• Secrets Of The Supermarket Buys starts on April 14, at 8pm on Channel 4.