Born Denise Outen on 27 May 1974 in Basildon, Essex, England, UK, the 5'6" blonde attended the Sylvia Young Theatre School. She added the "Van" to Outen to create the more elegant stage name, Van Outen.

Her career musicals stretches from Les Miserables to Chicago, and she is currently developing a one-woman show with Andrew Lloyd Webber.