Denise spoke about the support she extended to the family on Loose Women today

Denise Welch faced backlash over her comments on Loose Women today while discussing a heartfelt gesture she made for Madeleine McCann’s family.

The search for Madeleine McCann has been ongoing since she disappeared back in 2007, when she was aged just three. On Loose Women today (June 3), the panel were discussing the latest breaking news as a new search for the missing girl gets underway in Portugal.

Police have revealed they have identified a new area of land – linked to prime suspect Christian Brueckner – to search. They are expected to use ground-penetrating radar after receiving a ‘tip-off’. It’s thought the search will run until the end of the week and experts will also drain two wells during the search.

Today, while they were talking about the case, Denise Welch revealed she once tried to make a kind gesture to Madeleine’s family.

Denise offered Madeleine’s family tickets to Dancing On Ice (Credit: ITV)

Denise Welch reveals gesture to family of Madeleine McCann

Madeleine’s parents Kate and Gerry McCann also have younger twins, Amelie and Sean, who have gone through a lot in their lives. So Denise explained that she wanted to help in any way she could.

The Loose Women star told how she’d spoken to Susan Healy, Madeleine’s grandmother. The 67 year old previously revealed Susan had reached out to her to thank her for comments she made on TV supporting the family.

And it turns out that, after this, she invited the family to watch her perform on Dancing On Ice back in 2011 – but got a letter back to say they wouldn’t be there.

Speaking about the kind gesture today, Denise admitted she knew that the twins were “big fans” of the show, and wanted to do something nice for them.

She said: “When I was doing Dancing On Ice, I had heard, because we talked a lot about the McCanns and support of them on this show, I knew the twins were big fans of Dancing On Ice. So I had invited them. Because I had been in contact with the grandma before.”

But in return, Denise received a letter from Susan, revealing the reason why they wouldn’t be in attendance.

Denise said: “She wrote to me and said: ‘Gerry and Kate would absolutely love to bring the kids. But unfortunately if they are seen smiling or laughing in public, the hate that they get is so horrendous that they no longer go out or try to be seen in public.”

Denise has faced cruel backlash online (Credit: ITV)

Denise faces backlash over comments

Despite trying to do something nice, Denise has been cruelly trolled online. And many accused her of making the whole thing about her.

Taking to X, one said: “Oh of course Den making the McCann story about her.”

Another added: “Watch Denise make this all about herself!” to which another responded: “She’s doing just that.”

“Denise putting on a fake concerned voice,” another troll wrote.

A user penned: “Denise, Denise, Denise! Boring!”

However, others praised the panelist. After she hit out at the treatment of Kate and Gerry McCann, one viewer tweeted: “I rarely agree with Denise, but I do on this one.”