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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Scarlett O'Toole

Denise Van Outen goes public with property developer Jimmy Barba at the Grand Prix Ball

Denise Van Outen has made her red carpet debut with her new boyfriend Jimmy Barba, as the pair attended the 12th annual Grand Prix Ball on Wednesday (June 29).

The Celebrity Gogglebox star, 48, was said to have been introduced to her new man by a mutual popstar friend, All Saints singer Shaznay Lewis.

The event was Denise's first public appearance with the 55-year-old property developer, after splitting from her fiancé Eddie Boxshall earlier this year.

Eddie, 49, had been caught sexting other women behind Denise's back.

Posing for pictures on the red carpet, Denise beamed as she cosied up to her new beau before he led her up the steps to the ball.

The theatre star wowed in a gold sequined dress featuring a fitted bodice detail and sheer panel which showed off her legs.

Denise Van Outen looked so happy with her new man (Grant Buchanan / SplashNews.com)
Denise and Jimmy certainly dressed up for the occasion (David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images)

Denise paired her outfit with a pair of gold heels while Jimmy cut a dapper figure in a black tuxedo complete with a white shirt and cute dickie bow.

Not much is known about Jimmy, but he does own Whiteditch Lane Development LTD and is an Arsenal FC supporter.

Jimmy is said to have been on a few dates with Denise. "It's early days but everything is going really well and Denise is happy," a source told the Daily Mail.

Denise looked elegant at the Grand Prix Ball (Grant Buchanan / SplashNews.com)
Jimmy seemed at home in front of the cameras (David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images)

Denise detailed her split from ex-fiancé Eddie in her autobiography A Bit Of Me: From Basildon To Broadway And Back. She said she had noticed "red flags" after finding photos of a woman's breasts on his iPad.

She wrote: "Among photos was a screenshot…of a woman’s breasts – and they definitely weren’t mine! Also, there was a flirty text exchange between Eddie and this woman, which, of course, set off alarm bells."

She said she also found Instagram messages alluding to phone sex with a third woman.

Denise and Eddie were preparing to get married (John Phillips/Getty Images)
Eddie sexted other women behind Denise's back (David M. Benett/Getty Images)

She was in shock after finding out Eddie had cheated and said: "I’d thought we had the perfect life. Any relationship has to be built on trust and once that’s gone, there’s no way forward.

"If I hadn’t found those pictures, I’d be planning a wedding right now. Instead, I’ve simply got to move on."

The TV star has previously revealed the worst part about the break-up was telling her 12-year-old daughter Betsy, who she shares with ex-husband Lee Mead.

She told OK! magazine: "It tore me apart watching her cry while I tried to make her understand."

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