Denise Welch celebrated his 64th birthday on 22 May – but it was a day of mixed emotions.
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Taking to Instagram this week, the Loose Women star thanked fans for their wellwishes as she explained the reason the occasion is particularly poignant.
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"Thank you so so much for your birthday messages," Denise wrote. "As you all know, my birthday is bittersweet.
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"It's 10 yrs today since our mum Annie died. But I feel that she brought me into the world on May 22nd and she left the world holding my hand on May 22nd so it's the circle of life. Debbie and I are so are lucky she was our mum and I'm lucky to be 64!!!
"64!!!! But I'm not old and am not losing me hair as the Beatles song told me I would!! I feel better now than ever and I'm still my husband’s Valentine!! To those not old enough google 'When I'm 64'."
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Denise, who accompanied her post with a photo showing her and her mum together, was quickly inundated with messages from fans and famous friends. Loose Women co-star Nadia Sawalha wrote: "Exactly!! What a privilege to make it to each decade and beyond! You always have been and always will be a force of nature !! Big hugs hunny, nads xxxx."
Jenny Powell told the actress: "Happy Birthday my darling Den .. you are an inspiration to us all, never knew your Mum but I feel I do .. through you." Another follower wrote: "Happy Birthday beautiful lady xxxx and so sorry that it was the day your beautiful mum also passed xxxx."
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It comes less than a year after Denise also lost her beloved father, Vin.
Sharing her heartbreak at the time, she wrote: "The words I've dreaded saying all of my life. Last night at 11pm, we lost our dad, the life force that was Vin Welch.
"After making a miraculous recovery recently from major surgeries, pneumonia plus his existing pulmonary fibrosis was more than even he could take.
"He left us surrounded by his family who could not have loved anyone more. I can’t quite function as I’m so grief stricken, but I know he meant so much to so many people, even those who’d never met him.
"I’ve never seen anyone fight to stay longer at a party than dad and last night was no different. He loved life and lived it to the full like no other. The nurses in Ward 6 at Durham University hospital will forever be in our hearts as they gave dad the most peaceful passing anyone could wish for."
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