Denise Welch's very glam LA life with multimillionaire artist husband Lincoln Townley, 53, where actress, 68, rubs shoulders with Tom Cruise and Michael Caine and of course... son Matty Healy's very famous pals

Denise Welch looked the epitome of Hollywood glamour in a powder pink dress at her son Matty Healy's LA wedding to model Gabbriette Bechtel earlier this month.

But some might argue it's her artist husband Lincoln Townley who's the real star of the family following the multimillionaire's dramatic rise to fame with friendships with A-listers Tom Cruise, Michael Caine and Meryl Streep. 

The highly-successful painter previously, 53, worked as a celebrity publicist and PR manager, before turning art into a career in his 40s and it's reported he can now command up to £1million for one of his artworks.

Both Denise, 68, and Lincoln have spoken openly about their struggles with alcohol addiction, yet it was through their relationship that they made a pact to embrace sobriety together. 

Since then, Lincoln's career has gone from strength to strength, with Sir Michael Caine hailing him the next Andy Warhol and selling millions of pounds worth of art. 

The couple have openly discussed how they acted as each others anchor after making the decision to go sober together. 

When they originally met Denise had no idea about Lincoln's love of art and was shocked when she visited his flat to find two [David] Hockney masterpieces resting against the wall. 

She told Hello Magazine: 'I had no idea he was into art and asked who they belonged to. He said he’d liked the originals so much that he’d created these copies. It was another layer of Lincoln I had no idea about. His talent blew me away.' 

Lincoln was taught to paint by his grandfather, who was an engineer, but gave it up after his father died of a heart attack while the pair were out on a run together when he was 14. 

Years later he began painting again, creating a portrait of Russell Brand for drug rehabilitation charity Abstinence-Based Recovery Trust. 

After an online auction, his name was out there and he earned commissions from an array of stars including Charlie and Martin Sheen, Al Pacino, Gary Oldman, Mickey Rourke and Nick Nolte.

The art star has become well known for his portraits of Hollywood superstars and has painted everyone from Meryl Streep and Matt Damon to Samuel L Jackson and Kenneth Branagh. 

In 2019 he recalled that seven years ago, 'no one wanted my art,' but now he had agents from galleries world wide 'screaming' for his work.

He has since sold £5million worth of art at the world famous La Biennale in Venice at the prestigious Palazzo Bembo on The Grand Canal in 2019. 

He has had sell out shows at London’s Saatchi Gallery, the Royal Academy and across the world including Los Angeles and Brisbane.

His fourth collection is currently being displayed at the Palazzo Bembo as he builds on his sold out 2024 presentation.  

In 2016 and 2017 he was commissioned by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts to paint celebrities and his painting of Muhammad Ali sold for $623,000 in 2017. 

A big hit with Sir Michael Caine after he painted the star, Denise and Lincoln were even invited to the legendary actors 90th birthday four years ago. 

Finding herself rubbing shoulders with the likes of Tom Cruise, Denise even gave a speech, as she left the guests in hysterics with her 'dirty jokes'. 

Taking to Instagram after the party, Denise wrote: 'Such an honour to be asked by Shakira to say a few words at Sir Michael Caines’ 90th birthday!!! He loves a dirty joke and so does @tomcruise it appears!!!! Great night and amazing company @nctopsy @therivercafelondon.'

Speaking exclusively to the Daily Mail previously, Denise quipped she and Michael's wife Shakira were planning on setting up a racy site to rival Only Fans that they would dub Only Nans.

Denise said: 'Michael is a complete legend. I was very nervous of him when I first met him, he's a huge fan of my husband's work. I became very good friends with Shakira with his wife.

'We see them as regularly as possible and I adore him - it's my favourite shot in the world when I get papped with Michael Caine because I feel so cool!

'We don't seem to make movie stars like that anymore. He's just a legendary actor and he's just wonderful.'

While Denise and Lincoln are still based in the UK, it appears that the pair visit LA regularly, with the star's Instagram showing her enjoying social meet ups with Lisa Vanderpump.

Sharing round ups of her trips to Los Angeles, Denise often enjoys relaxing at the swimming pool as she flaunts her incredible physique in a range of swimwear.  

Denise is also pals with Bridgerton star Phoebe Dynevor, who is the daughter of her Coronation Street co-star Sally Dynevor. 

Denise also enjoyed a brief friendship with Taylor Swift after her romance with Matty back in 2023.

However, Denise later made a subtle dig at the singer when quizzed by Andy Cohen about Taylor's new album which appeared to feature songs which referenced her brief relationship with The 1975 star. 

Denise said: 'Obviously, on pain of death can I talk about that episode, but being her mother-in-law is a role that I am glad I lost.' 

Denise and Lincoln first met in April 2011 in a nightclub at 6am during their 'party animal' stage. 

The actress recalled: 'My marriage [to Tim Healy] was in freefall and I was drinking too much. Being with Lincoln could have been the most explosive disaster but it went the opposite way.'

The early days of their relationship were by no means smooth sailing as they got together following Denise's very public split from Healy. 

The pair were also heavily drinking, causing heightened arguments and negatively affecting their relationship. 

After an ultimatum from Denise, miraculously Lincoln quit the booze overnight, however, for the actress the road to sobriety was slightly rockier. 

Continuing to drink while touring in the play, one night Denise smashed up Lincoln's Kensington flat. 

'I woke up the next morning in Lincoln's flat that he had then in Kensington. I had smashed the flat up. I had no recollection of this,' she told Yahoo.  

'He came to pick me up at the theatre that night and he said, "I don't want you to say a word." And he spoke to me all the way back from Richmond to Kensington about how much he loved me, about how the relationship we could have, but that it couldn't coexist with him being sober. 

'And I've never touched a drink - and eight years nearly on, that's how it's been.'

After getting engaged in August 2012, a year later the pair tied the knot in Portugal and despite raised eyebrows about their 14-year age difference they haven't looked back. 

'Lincoln keeps me young and his enthusiasm rubs off into my world,' said Denise. 'Some people joke I’ve married my carer. Who knows what the future holds? Lincoln has always preferred older women, anyway.'

Lincoln has publicly credited Denise for helping him get sober, a decision which led him to become one of the country's most in-demand artists.

Speaking to The Mirror back in 2019, the London-born art sensation said of his wife: 'drinking never brought anything good into my life except for Denise.'

He continued: 'We got to the point where we knew the best way to do it was to embrace sobriety together.'

Addressing their joint journey into sobriety, he shared: 'We have known each other through a very dark time and we wanted to create something out of what we had. We're here and we're both very happy and that's the way it works for us.'

The 68-year-old was propelled into a whole new social circle of stars after Matty's bandmate George Daniel tied the knot with pop superstar Charli XCX. 

Attending their wedding in Sicily last year, the Waterloo Road star found herself mixing with the likes of Troye Sivan, Julia Fox, Caroline Polachek and The Dare.

Speaking about the day while attending the Virgin Atlantic Attitude Awards, she told Metro she had the 'most wonderful time'.

Denise added: 'I posted some of the party photos, it was only then I realised I was in a photo with Troye Sivan.'

After the phone blew up she joked: 'It was only then I realised, I just thought it was a lovely lad at the BBQ. But it's given me a lot of cool points.'

Meanwhile, fans embraced Denise as part of the Brat movement, after a Denise Welch Brat flag was seen flying proudly at Glastonbury last year. 

Introducing her to a new audience, Denise has since had an array of exciting opportunities after she took to the red carpet as the GQ Men Of The Year correspondent in November. 

The star was seen interviewing rising star Sombr as well as Heartstopper's Joe Locke and Cynthia Erivo. 

In May, Denise turned heads as she performed It's Raining Men with shirtless male dancers during a surprise appearance at Mighty Hoopla.

She was joined by a troupe of male dancers, while she sizzled in a dramatic hot pink satin look before revealing a racy embellished bodysuit.

Speaking to the crowd, an emotional Denise said: 'My late dad Vin was a heterosexual drag act in Whitley Bay, get your head around that.

'And when I was at drama school, and all the other kids were being taken to McDonald's, I was being taken to the Black Cab in Camden Town.

'And I know things have taken a reverse turn, but believe you me, as an ally, we are going to fight to get things to where they should be.'

Denise shared a stunning array of behind-the-scenes images from her son Matty’s wedding the weekend before last. 

The mother of the groom seemingly made the most of the celebrations, as she shared pictures of herself partying with her new daughter-in-law, whose birth name is Gabriella, and pop star Charli XCX.

Posing in a white suit which was adorned with feathers and a white bridal top hat, Gabbriette cosied up to Denise who opted for an off-the-shoulder satin dusty pink dress. 

While Matty and Denise rarely share pictures together publicly, the former Coronation Street actress made an exception for the special day as she shared a sweet snap with her eldest son. 

Bonding with Gabbriette's mother Chayo and sister Marcella, the three women beamed in 'Gabbrietty' T-shirts which were printed with pictures of the newlyweds. 

The star also shared snaps with Matty's younger brother, Louis, 25, as well as her husband Lincoln and her Corrie pal Sally Dynevor. 

Denise captioned her post, 'We love our new family.' 

She added: 'To see my eldest son marry the most beautiful, funny, crazy girl under the Hollywood sign was a night I'll never forget. They are made for each other.

'I kept looking around and couldn't believe so many of our friends and family were all together in Los Angeles celebrating this most magical, beautiful few days watching the love between Matthew and @gabbriette.

'We love our daughter in law and our new family @chayobechtel @gary.bechtel and @marsalsa_ .'

Teasing more content she added: 'I'll need to do a million reels to capture the fun we all had.'