Denise Welch fibbed to her 'Hollyoaks' star pals that her friend had been offered a role in the soap - to find out what it was like before she accepted a contract.
Denise Welch
The former 'Coronation Street' actress has joined the Channel 4 soap as Trish Minniver, but before she signed on the dotted line she spoke to her former 'Corrie' co-star Nikki Sanderson - who plays Trish's daughter Maxine Minniver - and her fellow 'Loose Women' panellist Kelle Bryan (Martine Deveraux) about the programme.
She said: "It was a big consideration. I know what the schedules are like, so I phoned Kelle and Nikki and said, 'Listen, a friend has been offered a year contract ...
"I knew that if they had anything awful to say then they would say, 'Tell her to run.' "
However, Denise had positive feedback from her pals and decided to accept the deal.
Speaking on 'Soap from the Box' podcast, she added: "But what they both said was that it's one of the happiest places to work and it's true.
"I've never had such a welcome."
Denise recently admitted her husband Lincoln Townley is being lined up for a stint on 'Hollyoaks' as a body double for her on-screen "hunky lover" - to enable the characters to kiss amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Speaking about her character, she said: "I have a hunky lover, but I can't say who it is yet.
"Here's me being 62 thinking, 'They'll find somebody who was in 'Dad's Army' who is about 120 for me.'
"But no, I've got someone very, very easy on the eye.
"He’s not a husband yet, he’s a boyfriend."
When asked if she can touch the mystery man, Denise replied: "No, because of Covid filming restrictions, which are really frustrating.
"My character is meant to be a bit of a goer. Go figure.
"But I like that they’re writing for a woman of my age who is still quite active in that department, even though he's a bit of a bad boy.
"But no, so you have to do it all with these seductive looks.
"They have said there may be a time when they will call Lincoln in if I have to actually do a kiss.
"They've already got the wig ready for when the actor's wife comes in, even though she's probably about three stone and like a supermodel.
"But Lincoln is already at the gym in case he has to come in and be my hunk. But he is my hunk!"
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