LOOSE Women star Denise Welch joined in the joke amid bizarre reports she had gone missing in a hot air balloon.

Rumours spread at the weekend that she was last spotted drifting over northern France.

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Denise Welch joined in the joke amid reports she had gone missing in a hot air balloon (pictured on BBC’s Down To Earth in 2005)Credit: BBC
A fake online report claimed Denise, 66, and four others “vanished after launching from the UK” with the balloon having “disappeared over French airspace near Calais”.

Someone even updated her Wikipedia entry to say the actress had “disappeared somewhere over the Pyrenees”.

Denise was alerted to the report by fans.

One wrote “I can’t stop thinking about it.

“Denise you’re like the Pope to me.”

Geordie Denise later mocked memes claiming Lady Gaga was helping the hunt and Newcastle United’s parade with the Carabao Cup on Saturday was “to celebrate the safety of local legend Denise Welch”.

A friend told The Sun: “Denise found the whole thing hilarious but was baffled as to why anyone would say she’s adrift in a balloon.

“Her family has been laughing about it.”

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Denise was alerted to the report by fansCredit: Rex Features

Loose Women’s Denise Welch reveals her family’s reaction to sensational reports she had ‘gone missing in a hot air balloon’

Denise Welch has revealed her family’s reaction to reports that she had ‘gone missing in a hot air balloon’ on Monday’s Loose Women.

The star joined Jane Moore, Sue Cleaver and Brenda Edwards on the ITV daytime show.

On Saturday, unsubstantiated reports spread alleging that the 66-year-old TV personality had ‘gone missing’.

‘… Quite frankly we are lucky you are here Denise, you had the nation in a little bit of a panic,’ Jane quipped as she opened the show.

Denise went on to explain how she was ‘trending on X’ over the weekend after her friend notified her of a fake news article reporting she was ‘missing’ and was soon inundated with memes.

She also shared on the show her husband and sons’ reaction to the false news of their family member disappearing in a hot air balloon.

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Denise Welch, 66, has revealed her family’s reaction to reports that she had ‘gone missing in a hot air balloon’ on Monday’s Loose Women

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The star joined Jane Moore, Sue Cleaver and Brenda Edwards on the ITV daytime show

‘It was a very well written, almost journalistic, article saying Denise Welch is worrying many of her fans that I’d gone missing in a hot air balloon over the Pyrenees,’ the star explained.

‘Kent police put out a thing saying they were actively looking for me and then the memes started,’ she said as the studio laughed.

Denise went on: ‘I was in the balloon with Mariah Carey, Lady Gaga was involved and she’d been quoted saying “I’m worried about Densy, get the search parties out”.

‘Then it started trending in the US where nobody knows me, and there’s memes of Donald Trump being whispered to by his colleagues saying “She’s still missing we need your help”.’

The Loose Women panellists listened in disbelief as Denise admitted she had ‘absolutely no idea’ where the story originated from.

Jane asked: ‘Were Lincoln and your boys desperately worried?’

‘My husband’s in Singapore on business and my son lives in Los Angeles, they both apparently woke up to see respectively their mother and their wife missing over the Pyrenees in a hot air balloon and both went back to sleep,’ she replied as the studio laughed.

‘Well we’re very glad you’ve made it back to be with us today,’ Jane said.

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On Saturday, unsubstantiated reports spread alleging that the 66-year-old TV personality had ‘gone missing’

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The comedic sequence began when Denise reposted an article that read: ‘Hot Air Balloon Carrying Denise Welch Disappears En Route from the UK to France’

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In response to these baseless rumours, Denise shared several hilarious posts on her social media, poking fun at the claims

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She then reposted a tweet from X (formerly Twitter) that read: ‘Lady Gaga begins search for Denise Welch and the lost hot air balloon herself – ‘I am looking for Densy’ she said’

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Meanwhile, another user on X shared a photo of Denise with retired actor Sir Michael Caine, 92, captioned: ‘BREAKING: Sir Michael Caine breaks leg catching Denise Welch,’

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The star also reposted a hilarious photo of a large crowd that gathered to ‘celebrate her safety,’ captioning it with, ‘I’m honestly so touched, Newcastle. Thank you’

Denise laughed, ‘Thank you, I’m exhausted but thank you.’

Over the weekend, Denise responded to the baseless rumours and shared several hilarious posts on her social media, poking fun at the claims.

The comedic sequence began when Denise reposted an article that read: ‘Hot Air Balloon Carrying Denise Welch Disappears En Route from the UK to France.’

Denise humorously mocked the post, saying, ‘Thank goodness they found me!!!’ along with several laughing emojis.

Shortly after, she shared a picture of a Simpsons character waving from a hot air balloon.

She then reposted a tweet from X (formerly Twitter) that read: ‘Lady Gaga begins search for Denise Welch and the lost hot air balloon herself – ‘I am looking for Densy’ she said.’

Denise captioned the post: ‘There’s hope for me yet!!’

Meanwhile, another user on X shared a photo of Denise with retired actor Sir Michael Caine, 92, captioned: ‘BREAKING: Sir Michael Caine breaks leg catching Denise Welch who fell out of a hot air balloon earlier today.’

To wrap up the evening, Denise posted one final video with Gabbriette, strutting toward the camera with the text: ‘When you’ve been missing for hours above France in a balloon!!’