Denise van Outen has said she would be too “scared” to get famous now because of cancel culture.
The TV legend became a household name in the Nineties on The Big Breakfast alongside sidekick Johnny Vaughan.
Back then there were no social media platforms around and trolling celebrities online didn’t exist.
Although Denise admits she was “scared who might come out of the woodwork” and sell a story on her, she says fame is so different today.
“We’ve all witnessed the celebrities, actors, politicians and sportsmen and sportswomen who’ve voice an opinion on Facebook or Twitter, misjudged or otherwise, and then been publicly hung out to dry for it,” the 47-year-old said.
“One wrong move and all of a sudden they’re the worst person in the world. Cancelled! Now that’s scary.”
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Writing in her new autobiography A Bit Of Me: From Basildon To Broadway And Back, the Celebrity Gogglebox star continued: “Back then, I tried to push those niggling thoughts to one side and just enjoy the ride.
“When all was said and done, I was doing what I’d always wanted to do and having the time of my life doing it.”
Back in the Nineties, ladette Denise was known for her hard partying ways and admits that decade was a “bit of a blur”.
Some of the most shocking revelations to have come out of her book include the "next level" wild parties with the likes of the Gallaghers - where even she felt a bit out of her depth.
Then there was the time she flashed Prince Charles, and had a row with Naomi Campbell when she found her sitting on her then boyfriend Jay Kay’s lap.
A run-in with Kate Moss saw the supermodel call her “the bitch in pigtails”, although to this day Denise doesn’t know what she did to offend her.
Denise says the days before social media definitely felt more free - and people got away with a lot more when it came to partying than they would do now.
Even so, the TOWIE voiceover star said she began to check her behaviour when she was out in public.
Speaking of her sudden rise to fame, she wrote: “The downside was the scrutiny Johnny and I were under all of a sudden.
“I knew that as many people there were wanting to celebrate our success on the show, there would be those who wanted to bring us down.
“I started to wonder who might come out of the woodwork with stories about me: disgruntled boyfriends or long-forgotten acquaintances with tales about my wild clubbing days.
“Suddenly, I watched what I said and considered my actions, especially when I was in a public place. I had concerns about saying or doing the wrong thing and being judged.
“It was hard then, but it’s even worse now, with all the social media platforms.”
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