Denise Van Outen wouldn't change ex cheating after finding love again with backing dancer

Denise Van Outen has said she would not change anything about her split from Eddie Boxshall after finding love again with backing dancer Jimmy Barba.

The TV presenter and actor announced in January she had ended her seven year relationship with the city stockbroker after he admitted being unfaithful.

But Van Outen, 48, told Fabulous magazine: “Obviously those things weren’t nice to go through, but where I’m at now with Jimmy [Barba], who has such a good energy, everything was worth it.

Read more: Denise Van Outen: Pain of heartbreak left me struggling to breathe

"Honestly, I feel like I’m in a nice, happy, good place. I wouldn’t change anything. And there were so many positives that came out of it."

The former EastEnders star – who has a 12-year-old daughter with ex-husband Lee Mead – said her break up had helped her reconnect with close friends and they helped her find love again.

She said: "They reached out to me, which is lovely. You get caught up in life when you’re in a relationship and especially when you’re blending families and you’ve got the kids to consider. So you don’t always make time for your friends."

Barba has danced on tour with Take That, Sir Tom Jones, Diana Ross and All Saints, and Van Outen revealed their mutual friend, All Saints singer Shaznay Lewis, introduced them.

Watch: Denise Van Outen says she’s proud she walked away from fiancé Eddie Boxshall

She said: “It’s so weird... We were going back through all the years saying, ‘How have we never met?’ We must have been in the same room on so many occasions.”

The former Big Breakfast presenter revealed Gary Barlow had messaged her to say he was surprised but excited to hear she was dating Barba.

Van Outen revealed: "I said,' Gary, how have we never been introduced before?’ And he said, ‘It’s all about timing.’

“When you’re my age, you know what you want. There’s no game-playing and we’ve both been very honest. He’s got a young daughter – she’s only three. Betsy loves his little girl.

"I’ve spoken to Betsy about it all. She loves him, but we are doing things slowly. I’m not gonna thrust him into a family."

Van Outen and Boxshall, 49, met when a friend set them up on a blind date in 2014 and had initially planned to get married in 2021, but postponed the ceremony due to lockdown restrictions.

Boxshall has said he is "deeply sorry" for the sex texts he sent to another woman behind her back, which ended their relationship.

Van Outen said she is "proud" of herself for knowing "when to walk away" from her former fiance.

They appeared on Celebrity Gogglebox together as well as taking part in a couples therapy podcast for Yahoo! called Before We Say I Do.

Before meeting Boxshall, Van Outen was married to singer and West End performer Lee Mead, 41, with whom she shares 12-year-old daughter Betsy.

They were together from 2009 until 2013 but maintain a close relationship, with Van Outen saying in 2019 that they still speak every day.

Read more: Denise Van Outen's replacement for ex Boxshall on 'Celebrity Gogglebox' sofa revealed

Before meeting Mead on talent show Any Dream Will Do, Van Outen was in a relationship with Jamiroquai lead singer Jay Kay, 52. They were together for three years and were engaged to be married before their split in 2001.