|
 It is a well-known fact that mums are always on the go, leaving little or no ‘me time’ on a daily basis. Research carried out by OnePoll reveals most mums have less than an hour a day and are having to resort to going online in the depths of the night just to get everything done.
Working with celebrity mum Denise Van Outen and Busy Bees’ network of nurseries, Three's on a mission to educate Manchester mums on the benefits of having mobile internet on Smartphone’s.
Working in TV and being surrounded with Cameras, wiring and recording paraphernalia everyday, you would expect someone like Denise Van Outen to be completely comfortable with technology and I imagine she's a bit of a whizz on a Smartphone...
"I haven't had one for very long, but they really do make your life easier, I think all working mothers can benefit from having a smart phone and knowing how to use it...
& I've only just got an iPad, it's brilliant for keeping Betsy entertained on car journeys or if we're flying away on our family holiday".
If you take a look at Denise's life and career so far, there seems little she hasn't tried and mastered including Broadway and the big screen, she's great at presenting, appeared on magazine front covers, she dances, can act and she sings, now that she's a mum for the first time, I imagine that must be having a profound effect on the choices she makes... will she be slowing down any time soon and drifting into married serenity?
...Who wants to do that? I'm only 37! I might do that when I’m retired but no, we'd drive each other mad. I had my daughter late, she's only 16 months now and I want her to grow up knowing that I worked hard for her, I want to set her a good example.
I am starting to think differently about the work I do and how I fit the work in, I don't do quite as much, in fact I’m working part time at the moment, I work 2 days a week, I'm trying to spend as much time as I can at home, I still have a really busy life, you know when I was working as Paulette in Legally Blonde I’d spend all day at home and work in the evening; I can work and still see Betsy a lot, that's perfect for me.
What made you choose the name Betsy?
It's from Elizabeth, I just liked it, and it's S.Y. not S.E.Y. that's the American spelling, it's quite old fashioned, it was weird because all my friends have little girls and they've all got old fashioned names, like Rose and April, classic names, I really liked it and it works with Mead as well, my married name.
So Dad's a singer and performer, Mums a singer, model and performer... there isn't really much hope for Betsy is there?
Well, we'll see, she might end up hating it for that very reason, sometimes kids rebel, all I want is for her to get a good education, it opens doors and then she can choose to do whatever she wants to do. but I would like her to focus on her school work.
If I’m honest, I did the 'all singing - all dancing' thing, it was my main focus, and I know I’m very lucky to be doing what I’m doing, I’ve watched a lot of other people that wanted to do it but it didn't happen for them and they've been stuck for what to do for a career.. Maybe I’d let her do it part time and if she's good then it will happen for her.
For many of us, Denise Van Outen is the original cheeky Essex girl, how fitting then that she should be the voice narration of the reality TV sensation THE ONLY WAY IS ESSEX. Denise, give us the TOWIE gossip!?
Yes, It's back on Sunday, I love it! I just love it! I've been involved in it since the very start, the women who came up with the idea for the show asked me if I thought it would work, did I think that people would find it fun and interesting?... I thought it was brilliant.
"Did you know that originally they were thinking of doing it in Liverpool?"
|
 |
It could easily have been about Scousers antics and the things that they get up to, but Liverpool can blame me for persuading the creators to focus on Essex. I believe it's great because there really is a pocket of Essex that act as though they're living in Los Angeles or Beverley hills.... it's great to watch.
I would like to say that the cast are definitely not scripted, they all have their own researcher that they speak to on a daily basis and they will genuinely tell the truth about what's going on in their lives, let me give you an example of how that influences the show: supposing Lauren had an argument with Mark and Lauren says she doesn't want to see Mark today the show’s producers are likely to orchestrate that they meet at some point during the day and they will film it. Genuinely everything they say is real, they're not actors, and they can't fake the tears.. I guess that's the real appeal of the show.
Will the show work without Amy Childs?
I was really disappointed that she left, Amy made the chose to leave to do Big Brother and I personally think it was the wrong choice, I'm surprised she's decided to leave a show that is so successful and it looks like it's only going to get bigger, I don't know if it was her managements decision but I think it's misguided. As a fan of the show i can see one positive, it means the producers will introduce some new characters which will help the show to evolve.
Would you consider going in the BB house or are you too famous to be in there?
I don’t think I’m too big to be in the BB house, I just don’t see what the game is...
|
|
... just sitting around a house, I like to think I 'do something' for a living, I can act, I can sing, I can join a show, I’m not knocking it because I watch it like everyone else and I enjoy it, I can understand if someone's doing it for a charity and they can get a lump sum to donate but if they're just doing it to raise their profile, I can think of many other ways I’d prefer to be known in the industry rather than just lounging around a house or slipping into the Jacuzzi in a bikini...
That's worked for you in the past though hasn't it? I'm thinking 'Rear of the year' and most desirable Bikini body in Grazia...
Yeah, But I was still working... I was playing Roxie in the musical Chicago on Broadway and the west-end, and I was doing a sit-com, actually that's why I felt I could do the glamour shots, you know, I guess for fun, it's what you do when you're growing up.
Ordinarily I wouldn't ask a lady this but, we're in a busy restaurant, I figure there's only a slim chance I’ll get a slap... Ahem, Do you think that having your baby last year has had an effect on your body shape?
Mmmm, yeah, but not in a negative way, you do feel differently about yourself, I would say that I’m looking after myself much better than I used too. you suddenly realise that if your body is capable of making a baby then you should respect your body, I don't know if it's an age thing but now I’m getting up at 6am rather than going to bed at 6am, I am 37, it would be a little tragic if I were still doing that.
What can we expect from you in the near future?
I've just finished a film called 'Run for your wife' with Danny Dyer, Sarah Harding and Neil Morrissey...
|
|
that's coming out next year, I spent almost all this summer working on the film, six weeks of intense filming.
Just at the moment I want to continue with TOWIE and spend as much time at home as I can with Lee and Betsy. TOWIE means I work on Tuesday and Saturday and record the sound bites and narration that's used on the Wednesday and Sunday shows.
I see you're very active on Twitter..
Yes, I love a little tweet, I’m on @Denice_VanOuten. I've had a lot of support on Twitter, when Betsy was newborn I didn't really have any friends who were going through the same things as me, you know the night feeds and things like that so twitter was a nice way of connecting with other mums...
What hash tag do you use to find new mums.... ?
ha-ha #breastfeeding ... I wrote a book last year, it was a diary about my pregnancy called Bumpalicious, how to stay fit and healthy during pregnancy, I worked with Nicki Waterman, a fitness instructor and Amanda Ursell who's a nutritionist, that's the reason I started my Twitter account, to share tips... I've not stopped Tweeting since.
Interview by Craig Nelson
Photographs Craige Barker
Research Maxine Goulding
|
