Celebrity Big Brother winner Denise Welch has announced live on Loose Women that she's split from her husband, Tim Healy.
Speaking on the show, she said she'd separated from Tim 'some time ago.'
Fighting back the tears the Loose Women star said: "My family made a decision that we would talk about this today.
"Tim and I separated some time ago and so I'm not having an affair; we've been living our own lives for some time now.
"But the press furore after I came out of Celebrity Big Brother naively took us by storm.
"There's been nothing in the papers that my family didn't know about. And I just wanted to say today to thank everybody for their support." She added: "Tim and I feel a sense of relief that we don't have to hide this anymore.
"We've actually become better friends since we made the decision but we wanted to have Christmas with the family without telling anybody.
"I left the house last night to come to London with great hugs from Tim, great hugs from the boys.
"Tim and I are still going to be good parents, we love each other very much and we just don't want to lie anymore.
"The kids love us very much and they wanted me to do this today because if you do it via a newspaper or magazine they can use the wrong headlines and put it into the words that they want. They're sick of me being annihilated for something.
"I'm not having an affair. I'm officially separated, but we did love each other very much."
The actress has been plagued by rumours that her marriage was on the rocks after stories emerged that she'd had two recent affairs. Denise, however, laughed off the reports saying that everything in her marriage was fine.
[See also: Denise Welch laughs off 'toyboy affair']
[See also: Denise Welch doesn't regret topless hot tub]
She was then pictured celebrating Tim's 60th birthday last weekend, hugging and kissing him whilst they drank with friends.
Denise Welch and husband Tim Healy have split / RexMany viewers suggested that Tim may have been annoyed by Denise's antics in the Celebrity Big Brother house where she took off her top and got into a hot tub with Frankie Cocozza.
However, Tim quickly lept to Denise's defense when she argued with the other housemates. When Denise had a row with Michael Madsen, Tim said he was appalled: "If he keeps making her cry I shall be seeing him, know what I mean?"
The couple married in 1988 and have two sons, Matthew and Louis, together. We're sending Denise big virtual hugs.
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