Denise Van Outen has opened up about the major surgery she had after a 'horrific' injury during her time on Strictly Come Dancing. The actress and presenter was seen chatting to Lorraine Kelly on her self-titled ITV show on Thursday on the day she released her new autobiography, A Bit of Me: From Basildon to Broadway, and back.
It comes as Denise's personal life has already been hitting the press following her surprise split from fiance Eddie Boxshall late last year. During her chat with Lorraine, the TV host, 62, brought up Denise's time on Strictly, where she was runner-up in the tenth series of the BBC One dancing show, after she writes in the book about an injury which saw surgeons having to take out her voice box.
"I had no idea until I read the book, when you did Strictly Come Dancing... I knew you had a fall but it was horrific," Lorraine said. "The operation they had to do on your back, they had to go through your throat into your spine".
Former Big Breakfast host Denise, 47, explained how she kept the 'major' surgery private at the time in an attempt to avoid public sympathy. "It is something else I kept very private just because I love the show Strictly as well and James Jordan was my partner and I didn't want him to get into trouble as well. But I did have a fall and was dropped on my head and my neck went," she said.
"I slipped three discs into my spinal cord and I actually did the final of Strictly Come Dancing with steroid injections," Denise added. "I don't even know how I got through it but I just got on with it," she said as Lorraine described her as a 'trouper'.
Denise made Lorraine wince, with the host putting her hands to her face, as she explained how the surgery saw her voice box taken out and there were concerns that the performer wouldn't be able to sing again. "I kept it very quiet because as much as I'm out there and I talk about things, there are some things in my life I like to keep private and I wasn't looking for public sympathy," she added. "I just wanted to heal on my own."
Denise added that she's fine now but she is often asked about the small scar on her neck which was a result of the surgery which Lorraine said was 'astonishing'. Before the interview wrapped up, Lorraine also asked Denise about her split from Eddie after they were regularly seen together on Channel 4’s Celebrity Gogglebox.
"The book was delayed because obviously, things changed in your life... you split up," Lorraine said. "That's sad, are you OK?" she added to which Denise replied: "I am feeling really good now. I wasn't in a great place. It was all a bit of a shock but these things happen.
"I'm not the first person this has happened to and I won't be the last, sadly. But it's life isn't it, Lorraine. You just have to get on with it. There are no hard feelings from my side but it's happened and you just accept it."
