Actress and TV presenter Denise Van Outen has separated from her husband, musical theatre actor Lee Mead.
The pair first met in 2007, when Mead appeared as a contestant on talent show Any Dream Will Do, for which Van Outen was a judge. Her future husband went on to win the contest, earning the lead role in a revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dream Coat.
Van Outen, who first came to national prominence as a presenter of Channel 4 show The Big Breakfast, married the singer in 2009 during a stay in the Seychelles, and their daughter was born the following year.
But the couple have now gone their separate ways, and Mead is reported to have moved out of the couple’s home in London. An official statement read:
“Following continued speculation, Denise Van Outen and Lee Mead are sad to confirm they have decided to separate. The couple remain the best of friends, with their daughter Betsy as their No.1 priority. The family ask for privacy at this time.”
Reports suggest that the couple drifted apart amidst hectic work schedules. Denise is a presenter on London radio station Magic 105.4 and also made a high profile appearance on the most recent series of popular BBC show Strictly Come Dancing, eventually becoming series runner-up. Mead, meanwhile, is currently working a new album and planning a tour.
The couple made a public appearance with their daughter at an event in Hamleys toy store earlier this month.
