The Loose Women panel were chatting about accents when Denise Welch was shown a clip of herself in her early twenties, as she compared herself to Antiques Roadshow star Fiona Bruce

Loose Women’s Denise Welch caused a stir on the ITV daytime show this week as she looked completely unrecognisable.

On Monday’s instalment of the programme (July 29), Denise was chatting about accents and how she’s always criticised for sounding “posh” rather than having a Geordie accent. She insisted that despite being from the North East, she’s never had the strong accent.

To prove her point, Denise insisted show bosses show a clip of her aged just 23 – speaking in a very similar way to how she sounds currently, but looking completely different. Denise was presenting a segment at the time, with long blonde curls eased into an elegant up-do atop her head.

Denise Welch looked totally unlike her usual self(Image: ITV)

She said: “Everybody seems to think that because I’m from the North East, I used to talk like Gazza. So whenever I do anything, if I’m on GMB or an interview show, they always say on Twitter or whatever ‘Oh my God, it’s pathetic, she’s completely lost her Geordie accent.’”

She went on to say: “I’ve found a clip, which I think we’ve got, of me when I was 23 where I sound more like bloomin’ Fiona Bruce than I do like Gazza.”

In the clip, Denise told viewers in a very posh accent: “Local radio is one of the most enduring media institutions this country has. All over the nation, an endless flow of news, events, weather, and music streams out and much more.

Denise Welch looked totally unrecognisable in a throwback

“Here in the North East, we’re particularly well off with commercial radio, BBC and community radio all providing their own particular blend of information and entertainment. From first light to through the night, the music keeps on coming.”

Her co-star Judi Love wailed: “Who is she?!” as Denise said: “The proof is in the peas pudding.”

Denise admitted after every TV show appearance she gets comments criticising her accent – something that happened on Monday after starring on Good Morning Britain. She’d chatted to hosts Ranvir Singh and Ed Balls about a phone scam she fell victim to when the tweets flooded in.

The Loose Women panel couldn’t believe the difference

One viewer questioned: “Why does Denise Welch put on this posh accent?” as another echoed: “Denise Welch has lost her Geordie accent I see…”

Now fans can’t get enough of how much Denise has changed – with one viewer even guessing the throwback clip was made with artificial intelligence. One tweeter commented: “I bet that’s AI of Denise, she does try to speak posh at times, she’s such a liar!”

Someone else said: “Denise with hair, who even is she?”