Denise Welch 'an inspiration to older women'

Denise Welch thinks she is inspiring older women to learn to skate.

The 52-year-old 'Loose Women' star - who is competing in the current series of 'Dancing On Ice' alongside professional skater Matt Evers - believes people around her age now see taking to the ice as a good way to get in shape.

She said: "I think people love me because I'm a trier - I've had lots of emails from older women talking about my weight loss and saying they're finding ice rinks near them because they think, 'If Denise can do it in her 50s, then I can'."

Denise also admitted she is furious with some of the marks she has received from judges Robin Cousins, Jason Gardiner and Emma Bunton because she believed she deserved more.

She added: "I can't attribute my success to the judges. I was a bit upset earlier this month because I don't think doing three unassisted jumps, when others didn't manage them, should've earned me just one point more than other people.

"Jason was going on about my windscreen arms - whatever. I had six f***ing hours to learn that routine."