Denise Van Outen and Johnny Vaughan to RETURN as hosts of The Big Breakfast

Denise Van Outen and Johnny Vaughan are set to return as hosts of classic morning show The Big Breakfast.

MailOnline can reveal Channel 4 bosses want to bring back the cult show to celebrate its 30th anniversary next year and sounded out the beloved duo to return.

And Denise, who ended her 20-year feud with Johnny during the COVID-19 lockdown, confirmed she’s already discussed ideas with her former co-host.

They’re back! Denise Van Outen and Johnny Vaughan are set to return as hosts of classic morning show The Big Breakfast. Pictured together on the show in the 1990s

Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, Denise, 46, said: ‘We’ve started having conversations. It would be nice to do something to mark the 30th anniversary.

‘The original house has so many great memories and it would be amazing if we could return and film there, even though it’s been renovated.

‘We’d want to see all the old faces return and play some of the old games too. I’m sure the fans would love it and see it as a real nostalgia trip.

‘It would be so much fun working with Johnny again on show which means so much to us both.’

Ideas: Denise, who ended her 20-year feud with Johnny during the COVID-19 lockdown, confirmed to MailOnline she's already discussed ideas with her former co-host

Ideas: Denise, who ended her 20-year feud with Johnny during the COVID-19 lockdown, confirmed to MailOnline she’s already discussed ideas with her former co-host

On mending her relationship with Radio X DJ Johnny, 54, she added: ‘It’s been really lovely that me and Johnny have reconnected again.

‘It’s weird because we’ve never had a massive argument or fall out, we just act like stroppy teenagers with each other.We are probably in a lot of ways quite similar and sometimes you can have a clash of personalities.

But actually I’ve got a lot of love for Johnny and I’m sure he feels the same about our friendship.’

The Big Breakfast, which aired between 1992 to 2002, was watched by two million viewers in its heyday and attracted some of the biggest names in showbiz as guests.

Making a comeback: Channel 4 bosses want to bring back the cult show to celebrate its 30th anniversary next year and sounded out the beloved duo to return

Making a comeback: Channel 4 bosses want to bring back the cult show to celebrate its 30th anniversary next year and sounded out the beloved duo to return

Johnny and Denise were arguably the show’s most popular presenting duo, alongside original hosts Chris Evans and Gaby Roslin who were at the helm between 1992-1994.

Channel 4 are bringing back The Big Breakfast this May for a one-off special as part of Black Takeover Day hosted by comedian Mo Gilligan, but the show’s original stars are not expected to appear until the anniversary next year.

Denise, whose one-woman play Some Girl I Used To Know is being live streamed over Easter weekend, believes a reunion would provide a nostalgic throwback to the Nineties when TV shows were ‘fun’.

Although she admits both herself and Johnny used to get away with edgier content compared to now and also claims the outfits she wore on the morning show were ‘inappropriate’.

Johnny and Denise were arguably the show's most popular presenting duo, alongside original hosts (L-R) Chris Evans and Gaby Roslin. Pictured with Mark Lamarr (right) in 1992

Johnny and Denise were arguably the show’s most popular presenting duo, alongside original hosts (L-R) Chris Evans and Gaby Roslin. Pictured with Mark Lamarr (right) in 1992

Denise explained: ‘When I look back, I think how free it was. We had no script, no autocue and we used to get away with saying things which probably wouldn’t be acceptable now.

‘I’m sure I used to dress very inappropriately at 7am in the morning. I dressed like I’d just got in from a nightclub. It was all part of it.’

Denise’s relationship with Johnny broke down over a contract dispute which triggered her decision to leave the show in January 1999.

The pair briefly reconnected in September the following year for Johnny’s final four months as host, and again in 2008 when Denise fronted the Capital FM breakfast show alongside her old co-presenter, but they struggled to recreate their original chemistry.

One-woman play: Denise's foremost current concern is her one-woman play Some Girl I Used To Know, directed by former EastEnders star Tamzin Outhwaite

One-woman play: Denise’s foremost current concern is her one-woman play Some Girl I Used To Know, directed by former EastEnders star Tamzin Outhwaite

Making up with Johnny isn’t the only highlight of what has been an eventful lockdown for Denise.

The West End star dislocated her shoulder and suffered three fractures which resulted in her pulling out of ITV series Dancing On Ice before the first episode.

And she’s also spent months working on her bombshell autobiography, out this Autumn, which will document her 30-year career and her take on high profile splits with Jamiroquai frontman and former fiancé Jay Kay and ex-husband Lee Mead.

‘There will be surprises,’ said Denise. ‘I’m not planning on throwing people under the bus but I will tell my story and I will tell the truth. It’s as simple as that, I will say exactly what it was like for me.

‘I had some relationships which were very public that I’ve not really had the chance to share my feelings about.’

TV: The comedy, which she wrote in 2013 and performed on the West End in 2014, has been re-shot for a TV audience and will be available to stream over the Easter weekend for £10

TV: The comedy, which she wrote in 2013 and performed on the West End in 2014, has been re-shot for a TV audience and will be available to stream over the Easter weekend for £10

However, Denise’s foremost concern is her one-woman play Some Girl I Used To Know.

The comedy, which she wrote in 2013 and performed on the West End in 2014, has been re-shot for a TV audience and will be available to stream over the Easter weekend for £10, with a percentage of profits going to the Make a Difference Trust.

The play, which Denise says has a touch of ‘Essex humour’, is set entirely in a hotel room and centres around her character reflecting on her life and future after an old flame returns into her life.

Former EastEnders actress Tamsin Outhwaite, 50, directs and Denise performs a musical set with the help of Kylie Minogue’s production team.

Speaking about the play, Denise said: ‘I just wanted to be that person coming out of lockdown who can say they’ve created something, done something good.

Plot: The play, which Denise says has a touch of 'Essex humour', is set entirely in a hotel room and centres around her character reflecting on her life and future after an old flame returns

Plot: The play, which Denise says has a touch of ‘Essex humour’, is set entirely in a hotel room and centres around her character reflecting on her life and future after an old flame returns

‘I got quite sick of influencers constantly flying all over the world on lavish holidays reporting back about reviews of hotels.

‘Don’t get me wrong, I would love a holiday myself but I haven’t had one at all since the pandemic struck, like most people.

‘But if I’m going to do anything with this time, I want it to be something productive.

‘Myself and Tam thought ‘we’ve got a bit of profile through our telly work, it’s up to us to fly the flag to keep the entertainment industry going and keep theatre going.’

Denise added: ‘Doing this also means I was able to employ a team of people for the short period of time who haven’t worked for a year, so we managed to create some jobs off the back of it, which is lovely.’ 

Denise Van Outren’s one-woman show Some Girl I Used To Know streams from April 2 to 5. Tickets cost £10 from somegirl.co.uk with profits benefiting the Make a Difference Trust.

Something good: Speaking about the play, Denise said, 'I just wanted to be that person coming out of lockdown who can say they've created something, done something good'

Something good: Speaking about the play, Denise said, ‘I just wanted to be that person coming out of lockdown who can say they’ve created something, done something good’