Denise Van Outen reveals her plan to propose to partner Eddie Boxshall last spring was ruined by lockdown... as couple prepare to wed in small registry office ceremony

Denise Van Outen has revealed her plans to propose to Eddie Boxshall last spring were ruined by lockdown. 

The presenter, 46, told The Sun: 'I was going to propose last leap year, but we went into lockdown so it was impossible to do it properly. It didn’t feel right.' 

She explained: 'So, it’s a joint decision. There is no proposal. We’re doing it the modern way. We’re in our forties, I’ve been married before, 

'For a lot of women the dream is the big rock on the finger. I’m the opposite of that. I just want the commitment between two people.'

The presenter revealed her and Eddie's plans were to keep things low key and only get wedding bands rather than engagement rings. 

The couple are now planning to tie the knot in a registry office in a small COVID-safe ceremony.  

The engagement comes after Denise and Eddie announced last month that they were doing couples hypnotherapy to strengthen their seven year romance.

The TV star's boyfriend said on Kate Thornton's White Wine Question Time: 'I'll be honest… Even more so now would I marry her after doing therapy sessions. 

'I have come out the other side of those sessions and for me now, I'd marry her at the drop of a hat!

The former Dancing On Ice star echoed her partner's comments as she added: 'I can't imagine myself being with anyone else — although sometimes I'd like to.'

The media personality shares Betsy, ten, with theatre star Lee Mead - whom she was married to from 2009 until 2013, while the businessman has daughter Leah, 21, from a previous relationship. 

The pair were transformed into one another for a session of the alternative method, with Denise confessed she 'can't' remember. 

The mother-of-one went on to reflect on how therapy made her more aware of her feelings, explaining: 'I've been guilty of it in past relationships — just letting things go — but those small things become something much bigger further down the line.    

'I've learned that if something is bothering me, I'm just going to say it. If people do it before they get married — if you've been together for a number of years — then hopefully you should be able to get married and sail through wedded bliss!' 

On his experience, Eddie added: 'It's the first time that I've ever had hypnosis, and I've always been one of them ones that's like ''That won't work on me''.