Celebrity traveller: Denise Welch
Actress DENISE WELCH, 60, is best known for Coronation Street, Waterloo Road and Loose Women. She lives in Cheshire with artist husband Lincoln Townley and has two sons: The 1975 singer Matty Healy, 29, and Louis Healy, 17
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WHAT IS YOUR MOST MEMORABLE HOLIDAY?
Turkey has a special place in my heart. We’ve had a villa in Ovacik, near Fethiye, for nearly 17 years. We holidayed there with my children and my mum when she was alive.
Now Lincoln and I go every year with his mum and my dad. It has a rustic charm.
Fethiye has beautiful markets. I love the hustle and bustle as the fish comes in. I love the beaches – Ölüdeniz is my favourite. It’s beautiful and sandy and we love to watch crazy people paragliding off the mountain.
My 82-yearold dad has done it and probably would again. We like places where they throw a salad and lamb chops on the table and it’s the best meal you’ve ever had. The warmth of the Turkish people... we’ve developed very good friendships. Special memories.
If I go to Venice, I could walk for hours – the wonder of every little street you turn into… it’s exquisite
AND YOUR WORST?
A Baltic cruise to Estonia, Russia and Germany. I didn’t see the end of the boat for 12 days – it was grey, foggy and raining. Everybody on board was grey and foggy.
It was so depressing. One day, it wasn’t as grim and we walked on to a German beach – it was a nudist beach!
HOW DO YOU SPEND YOUR TIME ON HOLIDAY?
Lazily. We did nothing but sleep, read, sunbathe and eat in Crete this year.
If I go to Venice, I could walk for hours – the wonder of every little street you turn into… it’s exquisite. It’s just like a film set.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE HOLIDAY SOUVENIR?
I could say my son Louis because I conceived him in Amsterdam. Otherwise, it was probably the rusty old key I got from an artefact stand in Kaya Village in Turkey.
I pride myself on not being superstitious but I must be a little. When I got home, my luck turned – my health improved and I was busier with work – so I’ve cherished this key
BEST HOLIDAY READ?
The Break by Marian Keyes. Marian’s a great writer for women and very funny.
WHERE WOULD YOU REVISIT?
I’d love to take Lincoln to Prachinburi for a taste of the real Thailand. Our friends, May and Steve, run the Chilli Banana Restaurant in Wilmslow.
When I was over there, May invited us to see where her family was from. It was delightful. In Thap Lan National Park, I’d walk down this jetty to a lake where there was an orchid farm. My idea of paradise.
WHERE NEXT?
Barbados. I’ve only ever stopped off on a cruise.
I do like my holidays and people say: “Where are you going this time Judith Chalmers?” When we were there before, we went to Treasure Beach Hotel for lunch and there was Judith Chalmers. I was too shy to say anything!
Denise stars in the UK tour of Calendar Girls: The Musical. Visit calendargirlsthe musical.com for details. Her novel, The Mother’s Bond (Sphere, £8.99), is out now.