Lee and Denise VO

[Lynda]

www.mirror.co.uk/showbiz/2007/12/13/denise-dates-joseph-star-89520-20243196/


Denise dates Joseph star
By Caroline Hedley 13/12/2007

Denise van Outen

has found love with Joseph star Lee Mead.

The Basildon beauty, who's currently starring in West End musical Rent, has been dating Lee for more than a month after meeting him on BBC series Any Dream Will Do earlier this year.

Lee, 26, won the series to secure the lead role in musical Joseph, while 33-year-old Denise appeared as an "expert".

When hunky Lee was announced as the series winner, Denise gushed: "The next time he lands a role as a leading man, can he put me forward to be the leading lady?"

A close friend of Denise's said: "Lee has been trying to woo Denise for months, but she's always been concerned about the age gap.
"But a few weeks ago Lee turned up to watch her in Rent and they went out afterwards - it all seemed so natural. They had so much chemistry between them. They've been inseparable since."



PS. No, I am not going to ask him if its true it's his private business. Love Lynda xxxx

[caro]

Good for you Lynda, I totally agree - unfortunately the press don't agree!

[marilyn53]

I completely agree with you Lynda. What a pity his life can no longer be his own.

I have never met him but he has always come across as a nice guy and it seems a shame to me that everything he does now has to be everyone else's business too.

[Chrissi]

I totally agree as well. Glad it's still not all over the press!

[Lynda]

Sun Newspaper


By SARA NATHAN
TV Editor

Published: Today

DENISE Van Outen has got her Dream boy – and she beams as she speaks for the first time about her romance with Joseph heart-throb Lee Mead.

The blonde admits she was dating the new leading man in her life for weeks before their budding relationship was made public.

They have now been together for two months, after meeting on Any Dream Will Do – the BBC1 show that won Lee, 26, the starring role in the Andrew Lloyd Webber hit musical in the West End.

Denise, 33, an Any Dream judge, says: “We kept it quiet – but not that quiet. We were kissing and walking down the street holding hands. He was coming to see me on stage when I was in Rent. I couldn’t believe no one found out earlier.



Lee-ding man ... Denise and Lee on a night out

CELEBRITYPICTURES.COM

“But it was a bit sneaky as I’m always out with the Joseph boys, they were my smoke screen.

“And before you ask, I’m not telling you if he wears his dreamcoat in bed!”

When Denise first spotted Lee at the Any Dream auditions she insisted: “He’s gorgeous – he has to go through.”


‘ I rarely spoke to Lee during the series. There is quite a divide between the judges and contestants, you have to be professional ’
Things got even hotter during the series, with Denise acting up to the cameras, swooning: “The next time he lands a role as a leading man, can he put me forward to be the leading lady?”

Despite the chemistry between the couple they did not get together until after Lee had split with dancer Kerry Stammers, his girlfriend of three years.

Denise says: “I rarely spoke to Lee during the series. There is quite a divide between the judges and the contestants, you have to be professional.



New love ... Denise

CELEBRITYPICTURES.COM
“Also, he had a girlfriend who was at the studio and I would never have gone there, I’m old fashioned like that. They were broken up for three months before anything happened between us.

“Lee heard I was single, called and asked me out. It wasn’t really a date, we went with a group of friends, then things deepened.”

See more sexy pics of Denise:




It is clear the couple are getting close as Denise confesses she would have to think of Lee’s feelings before accepting work in America.

She says: “I did a pilot for a Fox show there but everything is on hold because of the writers’ strike. And I have just started going out with Lee so I have to think about him too.

“I don’t know where this is going to take us, it’s such early days. Lee is seven years younger but that doesn’t bother me because I act so young and silly. He’s a gentleman and so talented. We are very similar, we’re both from Essex and have working-class backgrounds.

“And our parents are both still together – which I think does make a difference. So many blokes with divorced parents have commitment issues.” Denise reveals that before Lee’s call she had been given the elbow by actor James Lance.

She admits: “I was dumped, I’m not going to lie about it, it happens to everyone.

“I cried for five minutes then said, ‘I’m going to get over this, I’m going to go out with someone else’. All it meant was that we were not right for each other. I love having a boyfriend, someone to snuggle up to in bed at night.

“And I can’t be bothered to play games any more. If someone mucks me around I tell them, ‘Jog on’.


‘ My parents would like me to settle down and I am ready for motherhood. I want to get married and have kids. ’


Cheeky ... showing off her
bum in TV show

CELEBRITYPICTURES.COM
“But I don’t want to scare anyone off, those are my dreams for the future.”

Her love for Lee scuppers her “wedding” deal with Little Britain star David Walliams. The good pals had agreed to wed on January 15 this year if they were still single.

Denise will now be on holiday. She giggles and says: “No wedding day for me. But I love David so much, he’s just a great friend. Shame though – I wouldn’t mind wearing the dress.”

On the work front Denise has just signed a deal to reunite with her old Big Breakfast telly pal Johnny Vaughan. She will join him on the airwaves on the Capital Radio Breakfast show next month.

Den reveals: “Our chemistry is brilliant, I can’t wait. I know I said no more early mornings but it’s radio, I can arrive looking like a chav.”

TV viewers will see her next in The Empress’s New Clothes, part of the BBC’s series of revamped fairytales.


But it wasn’t quite a fairytale as she wandered on a freezing Belfast street with her bum out.

She plays soap babe Michaela, who employs shock tactics to outshine her soap rival at an awards bash.

She ends up in the buff for the final scenes – and with no closed set she was forced to walk down a windy street in the nude.

Denise says: “This is the BBC, my bum is not airbrushed, you’ll get to see it, warts and all. I was in the make-up trailer going, ‘Is my bum brown enough? Do we need to slap on some fake tan?’”

She adds: “The theme of the programme is fame, it does weird things to people. I do know people who worry that someone else is going to have a better dress for a premiere.

“One of the saddest things about the time I spend in LA is watching people like Britney Spears, who are so desperate and lonely.

“There are people there who want fame so much. I’ve seen Barbra Streisand in the supermarket by herself – but Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie go to a party with ten security guards, going, ‘Look at me, look at me.’

“I don’t need an entourage – I’m very happy being me.”



The Empress’s New Clothes is on BBC1 at 9pm on Thursday, January 24.

[Lynda]

See Heat magazine this week.

Thanks Jan. xxx

[Lynda]

Quite a revealing article. Denise said she isnt going on holiday with Lee.

Did you know she was rear of the year in 1999 - something else they have in common.

[Tanith Messenger]

Wow this must realy big news! It even hit one of our local free mags out here!! Mind you there was only a pic of Denise! HMPF lol

[Lynda]

So, Lee and DVO's parents are meeting each other for the first time at John Barrowmans concert in London, hmmmmmmmm .

[asg198]

There is a lovely photo of them both at the Capitial awards in OK this week,