A Bit of Me: From Basildon to Broadway, and back

Denise Van Outen

mar. de 2022 · Random House

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Denise Van Outen, original 90s 'ladette', West End star and primetime TV favourite, reveals for the first time the true story of grit and graft beneath the famous Essex sparkle.

In this refreshingly candid memoir, Denise speaks openly and sensitively about her rollercoaster career, her struggles in a past high-profile relationship and the betrayal she suffered at the hands of those once closest to her, with the hope that in doing so, she can help empower others to avoid and overcome any similar difficulties they may face.

Denise shot to fame on The Big Breakfast in her early twenties. After a decade grafting through theatre jobs and children's TV shows, she was finally living the dream. However her life soon turned into a nightmare off-screen and behind the headlines as her heart was broken in a very public relationship, whilst her every move was printed in the tabloids thanks to her phone being tapped. After receiving a panning by the critics for her late night TV show aimed at the post-pub crowd, she then auditioned for and accepted an offer to play Roxie Hart in Chicago, which turned out to be a life-changing experience. The role took her to Broadway, where she caught the eye of one Andrew Lloyd Webber, eventually landing a judging role on Any Dream Will Do, which saw her rise back to primetime and the career that she loves, where she has stayed and flourished.

Now, in her first memoir, Denise tells her story with disarming candour, unafraid to reveal vulnerabilities beneath the cheerful exterior. Tackling difficult subjects of corrosive self-doubt, betrayal, invasions of privacy and professional struggles, interjected with the familiar humour that we all know and love, A Bit of Me is personal, at times raw, often mischievous and always compelling. Denise has lived the life, learned the lessons, and Basildon to Broadway and back is a hell of a journey.

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Denise Van Outen is an actress, singer, dancer and presenter, with a career in showbiz spanning twenty five years. In 2001, she played Roxie Hart in the musical Chicago in the West End and then took it to Broadway. Other West End credits include Tell Me On a Sunday, Legally Blonde, Rent and her one-woman show Some Girl I used to Know. In 2020 she starred to great acclaim in Cabaret All Stars at Proud Embankment. She's a regular face on TV, with recent appearances on Richard Osman's House of Games, Celebrity Sewing Bee (winner), and Dancing on Ice. She also appears on Celebrity Gogglebox with her partner Eddie Boxshall, from their home in Basildon, where they live with Denise's daughter.