Denise Van Outen revealed the horrifying ordeal in hew new book
(Picture: ITV)Denise Van Outen has revealed that she was the victim of revenge porn when an ex-boyfriend claimed he had a tape of her having sex aged 15.
The TV star, 47, said that the man had tried to sell the tape to a newspaper in the 1990s.
She said the man, named only as “Mike”, had been questioned by police who later discovered he had filmed dozens of girls.
Van Outen told The Sun: “I realised it’s more common than ever and it has to change.
“I’m a mum to a 12-year-old girl and I hope talking about my own experiences, good and bad, will both highlight the problems and set a good example to her.”
The West End actor revealed the horrific ordeal in her new autobiography, writing that Mike had used a “dodgy camcorder” to record them having sex in his bedroom without her knowledge.
She wrote: “Revenge porn is talked about a lot these days, but it wasn’t a widespread term back then.
“Looking back, Mike could be manipulative – cruel, even. We dated for over a year and in the end Mike was the boy I lost my virginity to.”
Van Outen said she was “shocked and horrified” when the tape emerged, claiming Mike was “waiting for me to make it big so he could peddle his grubby tape”.
In her book, titled A Bit Of Me: From Basildon to Broadway And Back, Van Outen also addresses her breakup from ex-fiancé Eddie Boxshall after catching him sexting.
The pair separated in January.
“I’m trying to be reflective, but mostly I want my daughter to look at my life and see me as a good example,” she added. “I wanted her to see me strong, and understand the importance of prioritising self worth.”
Van Outen had previously spoken about her plans to marry the City trader, who she was with for seven years.
The couple made regular appearances together on the celebrity edition of Channel 4’s Gogglebox.
Van Outen has an 12-year-old daughter Betsy who she shares with musical theatre star Lee Mead, who she was married to between 2009 and 2013.
