Denise Welch's incredible transformation - ditching booze and major weight loss

dailystar.co.uk:

Denise Welch is a familiar face to TV watchers - from being on the Loose Women panel to acting on iconic soap Coronation street - she has become a well-known and well-loved figure.

The actress is known for being very open when it comes to her health and fitness journey, shedding weight, ditching booze and even releasing a fitness DVD in her timeThe well-loved star is celebrating her 64th birthday today (May 22) and is looking better than ever – but still sporting her iconic cropped blonde hairdo.To celebrate Denise on her special day, we're taking a look at her journey over the years.The actress' first appearance on television was on Tyne Tees Television in their production of Barriers in 1981, and soon after she appeared in the hit-show Auf Wiedersehen, Pet in 1986.Denise was cast in one of Britain's favourite soaps – Coronation Street – as Natalie Barnes in 1997, which is where she became a household name.Only three years in 2000, Denise left the cobbled streets to spend some time with her family as she just had a new baby at the time.The TV personality joined the Loose Women team back in 2005, alongside panelists such as Ruth Langsford, Kaye Adams and Nadia Sawalha who had all starred on the show since 1999.In 2013, Denise joined Lighter Life and swapped an alcohol addiction with food.She also got married to her second husband, Lincoln Townley, in the Algarve Portugal.Denise has been very vocal about how she's "happier and healthier" since cutting out alcohol.Earlier this year, she described it as "the best decision she ever made".In June 2018, as Denise turned 60, she penned a letter to her 16-year-old self in Happiful magazine which read: "Don't worry about not finding love again… You will find the greatest love of.