Denise Welch says she ‘doesn’t know how she’s going to cope’ as she takes break from Loose Women

The presenter announced she will be absent for the next two weeks

Denise Welch has announced she will be taking a break from appearing onLoose Women, as well as from her phone.

The 65-year-old presenter, who is a regular panellist on the ITV morning show, said on her 65^th birthday that she would be stepping away from the public eye temporarily.

In an Instagram video, Welch thanked her followers for the “lovely messages and comments” that she has received for her birthday, which fell on Monday (22 May).

She continued: “I’m going off on a little adventure for a couple of weeks so I’m going to be off here and off my phone.

“I don’t quite know how I’m going to cope, but I’m going to give it a try, so don’t think I have disappeared. It’s just a temporary little holiday and I’ll be back soon.”

Welch wrote in the caption: “Thank you and au revoir for a couple of weeks!”

In her video, the former Coronation Street star also paid tribute to her mother, whose death anniversary falls on Welch’s birthday and a day after Mother’s Day. Her mother Anne died in 2012.

She said: “For those missing their mums, I’m thinking of you. It’s a full circle. She brought me into the world on the 22^nd of May and she left the world holding mine and my sister’s hand on the 22^nd of May, so it’s a celebration of life as well.”

According to reports, Welch is going off-grid as she is taking part in the new series of Celebrity Hunted.

The Mirror has reported that filming began in Norfolk this week. The show features celebrities trying to evade a team of Hunters for two weeks and avoid being captured.

Welch’s announcement comes after her son, Matty Healy, made headlines as rumours spread that he is dating Taylor Swift.

The 1975 frontman has been spotted at several of Swift’s shows during her ongoing Era Tour, and has also been photographed with her on multiple outings in New York City.

Neither Swift nor Healy have publicly addressed or confirmed the rumours, which began shortly after the “Lavender Haze” singer reportedly split up with Joe Alwyn after six years of dating.