Coronation Street’s Denise Black has revealed that she was told she was ‘too fat and too disabled for TV’ – after being born with a condition that affects the muscles in her right arm causing her fingers to cross over each other.
The actress, 67, is best known for her role as Denise Osbourne, the former partner of Ken Barlow, in the long-running ITV series set in the fictional town of Weatherfield.
She also starred in Channel 4 series Queer As Folk, written by Doctor Who’s Russell T Davies, as Hazel Tyler, reprising her role in follow-up series Cucumber.
While she also starred in rival ITV soap Emmerdale as Joanie, the adoptive grandmother of Chelsea Halfpenny’s Amy Wyatt’s son Kyle.
She made her first appearance on the series in August 2013 before leaving just three months later, returning for a longer stint between 2015 and 2017.
But now Denise has opened up about some of the more negative attitudes she’s faced in the industry as she spoke on Kaye Adams’ How to be 60 podcast.
Coronation Street’s Denise Black has revealed that she was told she was ‘too fat and too disabled for TV’ – after being born with a condition that affects the muscles in her right arm
The actress, 67, is best known for her role as Denise Osbourne, the former partner of Ken Barlow, in the long-running ITV series set in the fictional town of Weatherfield
She said: ‘I’m not going to name the TV companies, but I’ve been told I’m too fat for television, I’m too disabled for television. All this kind of – ‘you’ve got to fit in and you don’t fit.’
‘My experience of being a woman was a lack of self-esteem, a lack of certainty that I was right, a desire to please, to look good, to feel very chastened when people pointed out things that were wrong with me.
‘I’ve been told several times, by agents and television companies and photographers,’ you’ve got a lovely face; it’s a shame about your body.’ It lowers your self-esteem. I’m a great one for ‘love people as they are.’
The star also explained that she believes her condition got worse due to trying to hide for so long when on screen.
She explains: ‘I think the reason it’s like this is because for 30 years I hid it out of the camera under the table, and it clawed over through lack of use. There’s a regret. I don’t think you get into your 60s without the odd regret.’
Earlier this month it was revealed that Denise is set to appear in yet another soap.
She is heading over to the BBC, as she’s joined the cast of school-based series Waterloo Road as its 16th season continues.
Her new character, Mo McManus, gets caught up in a showdown with the police.
She appeared on the cobbles between 1992 and 1997 before her character was rested until 2007 (seen on Emmerdale)
She made her appearance in the sixth episode of the latest series, after being introduced as the grandmother of Liam Scholes’ character Noel.
Denise isn’t the only Coronation Street star currently on the BBC airwaves.
Waterloo Road is said to be gearing up to tackle an important issue in a new storyline played by fellow former Corrie star Savannah Kunyo.
The young actress, who played Eliza Woodrow, will star as Hope Drake, a school student who has a severe dairy allergy and experiences anaphylaxis at school.
Her collapse in the corridors leaves classmates and teachers reeling – and the drama intensifies when it emerges that Hope is the granddaughter of headmistress Stella Drake (Lindsey Coulson).
The scenes will echo a string of real-life tragedies that have highlighted how deadly food allergies can be.
While on Corrie, Denise’s character and Ken Barlow, played by William Roache, shared son Daniel Osbourne in the series.
She appeared on the cobbles between 1992 and 1997 before her character was rested until 2007, when she reappeared for a guest stint, with a second in 2017.
Elsewhere, Denise played Joanie Dingle in Emmerdale until 2017, when her character dropped dead from a heart attack in shock exit scenes.
The actress was part of major storylines, including bringing Kyle back to the village to get to know his biological relatives.
The grandmother then went on to have an affair with Cain’s dad, Zak Dingle, and was the reason behind Zak’s divorce from Lisa.
Last month, it was confirmed Waterloo Road would continue for more series despite a slew of cancellations at the BBC with the broadcaster announcing two more series of the beloved soap had been commissioned, running into 2026 and beyond.
Earlier this month it was revealed that Denise is set to appear in yet another soap. She is heading over to the BBC, as she’s joined the cast of school-based series Waterloo Road as its 16th season continues
The show’s executive producer, Cameron Roach, said: ‘When the BBC commissioned the reboot of we had hoped it might run for a few seasons.
‘To be commissioned for further series, bringing the total episodes since relaunch to seventy hours, is a huge achievement and a reflection of the incredible creative teams in front of and behind the camera.
‘As well as continuing to celebrate emerging talent, the show is fast gaining a reputation for working with the best comedy talent, as Jon Richardson joins the cast this season.
‘As a team we’re incredibly proud that a very British show can be such an enduring success for the BBC and continue to bring in new generations of viewers.’
