Denise Van Outen has addressed her split with Eddie Boxshall.
The former couple, who appeared on Celebrity Gogglebox numerous times, recently ended their relationship after seven years.
Speaking on BBC Radio 2, Denise explained: "The one thing I’m really proud of myself for is I do know when to walk away and I don’t like to be taken advantage of.
"Sometimes it’s been to the detriment of my own career or in my own relationships, but I just feel like it’s really important as a woman to have self-worth and self-respect.
"I’ve always tried to maintain that in anything that I do in life, generally. More so now as a mother because I feel like I’m a role model and I’ve got to set an example."
Denise also opened up about how the split impacted her new autobiography, A Bit of Me: From Basildon to Broadway. Speaking on The One Show on March 16, the star admitted she made the tough decision to pull her book and re-write the "raw" final chapter in the wake of the breakup.
"I think it was the toughest thing for me," she told hosts Alex Jones and Jermaine Jenas. "But the book was supposed to come out last November and at that time when it was supposed to come out I found out everything that had been going on and I had to make a decision."
She admitted: "I kind of felt like I couldn't write an autobiography without being open and honest about my feelings... I felt it was fitting that I needed to explain a few things."
The former Neighbours star announced their news that the pair had gone their separate ways in January.
"Over the past couple of months, there has been much speculation regarding my relationship with Eddie," she said in a statement.
"It saddens me to confirm that we are no longer a couple. I had to make the difficult decision not to continue in our relationship. I will always treasure the good times we spent together, and the memories made. We ask that you please respect our privacy at this time, especially for our children."
Her rep also shared a statement, saying: "Denise is understandably upset about the news, but she remains optimistic for the future.
"Her priority is looking after her daughter and continuing to work on the many exciting projects she has coming up this year."
Denise, who has a daughter from her marriage to former Casualty and Holby City star Lee Mead, previously admitted that the pandemic had had an impact on their relationship, saying on their podcast Before We Say I Do: "We've been locked down together 24/7 and a few things have come up.
"If we try and sit down and talk about things, we'll end up bickering."
Gogglebox airs on Friday nights at 9pm on Channel 4.
Virgin Books The Diary of Two Nobodies by Giles Wood and Mary Killen
Blink Publishing Forever Sweethearts by June Bernicoff
Catherine was Digital Spy's News Editor between 2018 and 2024. Prior to that she worked at OK! Online, and has interviewed a slew of celebrities across her career in entertainment news, including Tom Hanks, Cheryl and Noel Fielding. Catherine also has specialist knowledge in all things drag, interviewing a huge portion of RuPaul’s Drag Race stars, and getting her own drag makeover for Channel 4’s show Drag SOS. LinkedIn
