By Sara Nathan and Simon Cable
'Fit and healthy': Miss Van Outen, right, walks with Miss Kaplinsky
Denise Van Outen yesterday vented her anger over losing her judging job on a BBC show, saying: 'I'm not ill, I am just having a baby.'
The presenter, 35, believes that her pregnancy was the reason she was dropped from Andrew Lloyd Webber's latest talent programme.
Miss Van Outen, who is expecting her first child in May, hit back after the corporation denied yesterday that it was a factor in the decision.
She had previously sat alongside Lord Lloyd-Webber on his hit shows Any Dream Will Do and How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?
She told the Daily Mail that senior BBC producers had informed her she would not be brought back as a judge on Over The Rainbow because she was expecting.
Miss Van Outen will be replaced by Charlotte Church, who is 12 years younger.
Yesterday, after taking part in a one-mile walk in aid of Sports Relief with fellow celebrity mum-to-be, Natasha Kaplinsky, Miss Van Outen insisted she would have worked right up to the birth.
Asked if she felt let down by the BBC, Miss Van Outen replied: 'I feel disappointed and let down. Being pregnant is not an issue for me, I feel fit and healthy.
'I am absolutely happy to carry on working. I am here today at the Bumps and Babies Mile today which shows I feel fine.'
When asked if the baby had been discussed with BBC bosses, she replied: 'There were people there [at the BBC] who mentioned things to me about my pregnancy.'
The TV talent show starts next month and is due to end in May. This means Miss Van Outen, who is married to Any Dream Will Do winner Lee Mead, would have been close to her due date towards the end of filming.
Miss Kaplinsky was just six weeks into her £1million job with Five News when she revealed to her bosses that she was expecting her first child Arlo, now 17 months old.
Channel Five allowed her to work up until four weeks before the birth.
Miss Van Outen's remarks came after the BBC tried to save face by saying it was still in discussions to give the star a part-time role.
The corporation's only other comment on the issue was: 'Over The Rainbow is a brand new show for BBC1 with a completely new line-up of judges.
'As a result neither Denise Van Outen nor John Barrowman nor any of the other five previous judges will be taking part on the panel.'
It yesterday formally announced that Miss Church, 23, will sit on the panel to choose a new Dorothy for The Wizard of Oz, as will Sheila Hancock, 76, who is starring in West End musical Sister Act.
The pair will be joined by East-Enders star John Partridge, who plays Christian Clarke in the BBC soap. Graham Norton will return to host the show, with Lord Lloyd-Webber back in his role as chief judge.
source: dailymail
'Fit and healthy': Miss Van Outen, right, walks with Miss Kaplinsky
Yesterday, after taking part in a one-mile walk in aid of Sports Relief with fellow celebrity mum-to-be, Natasha Kaplinsky, Miss Van Outen insisted she would have worked right up to the birth. 
Miss Kaplinsky was just six weeks into her £1million job with Five News when she revealed to her bosses that she was expecting her first child Arlo, now 17 months old. 
