Denise Welsh glad she broke strict Covid rules to see her poorly dad

Denise Welch has opened up about her decision to break lockdown rules at the end of last year to spend, what turned out to be her last Christmas with late dad Vin.

At the end of September 2021, Hollyoaks star Denise took to Instagram to break the sad news that much loved County Durham man Vin had died.

She wrote: "Last night at 11pm, we lost our dad, the life force that was Vin Welch. After making a miraculous recovery recently from major surgeries, pneumonia plus his existing pulmonary fibrosis was more than even he could take.

"He left us surrounded by his family who could not have loved anyone more."

READ MORE: Coleen Nolan forced to deny man is her boyfriend live on Loose Women

Denise, who has starred in the likes of Coronation Street and Waterloo Road, as well as being a regular on Loose Women, appeared on Dan Wooton's GB News show on Wednesday night and spoke to the host about her choice to go against the strict rules in place in Christmas 2020.

At the time the country was in a strict tier system but Denise made the decision to head to the north east from her home in Cheshire so she could see her dad.

She told Dan: "I'm glad I broke the rules because it turned out to be my dad's last Christmas

"Had I not driven with a dry mouth up the motorway, thinking I might be arrested, I wouldn't have spent my last Christmas with my dad.

"And so many people didn't break the rules because of this fear, this cray insane fear that's been instilled in us."

Vin spent a lot of time in hospital before his death, undergoing a string of major operations and talking about her fight to visit him, Denise added: “If my sister and I hadn’t been in that hospital with my dad at certain times, he would have died.

“These people are going to die lonely deaths if they don’t see family and friends.

“It is the hill that I will die on. We can’t go on like this, it’s insane."

For the latest What's On news, announcements and reviews direct to your inbox, go here to sign up to our free newsletter