Denise Van Outen has said her charity trek through the Himalayas has changed her perception of the world.

The TV star embarked on an 11-day challenge with The Only Way Is Essex’s Lydia Bright, as well as her boyfriend Eddie Boxshall.

She told Hello magazine: “What I experienced on this trek has changed my perception of the world,.

“The greatest thing for me was meeting children from all the villages.

(Hello!)
(Hello!)

“Their families have lived in the same place for their entire lives and their existence is very simple.

“The children wear hand-me-downs and have to walk for two hours to get to school, but they’re happy.”

Bright added: “I enjoyed being stripped back without make-up and sleeping rough.”

They were joined on the Dalai Lama Himalayan Charity Challenge, to raise money for Brain Tumour Research, by Van Outen’s goddaughter Elicia Murphy and best friend Cossi Costi and Bright’s older sister Georgia and close friend Ariana Sefre.

Bright added: “One lady we met didn’t have much, but she offered us what she had – the mint from her garden to make tea.

“Another danced for us in her sari, which was very touching. Music and dance are a big part of their culture.”

Read the full article in Hello, out now.