Denise Nurse, the familiar face of BBC One's Escape to the Country, is well-known for her role in guiding fans across scenic landscapes and charming homes. After a nine-year hiatus focused on her family life, Denise triumphantly returned to the show in 2022.

Her presence on television extends beyond picturesque countryside escapades, as she has also delivered weather updates on Sky News with live reports from events like Glastonbury, in addition to being a travel presenter for Sky Travel both on location and within the studio.

But what more is there to know about Denise, particularly her life away from the cameras?

Before her career in television kicked off, Denise was successfully practising as a solicitor. During an interview with The Lawyer, she shared insights into her early interest in law, "I first got interested in law when I was about 14.

"I enjoyed English and history at school, and I was on the debating club, usually as the chairperson. I liked to win!

"And I also liked novels about the legal process and TV dramas - LA Law, quite frankly. The legal arguments, the idea of winning a case - I liked all that."

reports her transition into TV in 2003 after she won the Sky Talent competition, recalling her time as an in-house commercial lawyer for Sky.

In an interview, Denise Nurse revealed the pivotal moment in her career trajectory. She stated: "I made it through to the top 10. As a prize we were sent to the National TV and Film School for a week and got training. We all came out with a show reel and everyone in the company voted for their favourite."

She continued: "That meant all the channel heads saw our stuff and as it turned out, the Head of News saw my show reel and invited me to a meeting. I said, 'Why would I quit being a lawyer? The only reason I might quit would be to be a journalist. He said I couldn't be a journalist - you have to do your time and work your way up - but they did want someone to cover weather.

"I said, 'I know nothing about weather, I'm a lawyer!' But he said, 'Go on, it'll be fun. Who doesn't want to stand in front of a green screen?'

"It was a big decision: I just got my dream job as a Sky Sports lawyer - how could I quit that to be a weathergirl? How could I leave my career?".

Denise Nurse's switch from law to broadcasting led her down an unexpected path. After a secondment from her legal job, she began presenting the weather for Sky News.

This experience opened doors to hosting travel, law, and property programs and ultimately paved the way for her to create a flex law firm, blending her legal expertise with her love for television.

In 2007, Denise took a bold step in the legal industry by co-founding Halebury, an innovative law firm that championed flexible working practices. Her entrepreneurial spirit paid off when she successfully sold the business in 2018.

Denise Nurse is not only a towering figure in the professional realm but also a beacon of kindness in her community. As a Co-Founder of Black Founders Hub, she bolsters determined Black entrepreneurs within the professional services sector, while her advocacy organisation Support SEND Kids works tirelessly to ensure that children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) gain better access to their educational entitlements.

Denise married her husband in Barbados, where her father is from, in 2015. They have one son together and two stepchildren and live in South West London.

Not much is known about Denise's husband, as she keeps her family life private. But the TV presenter shares the occasional selfie of her family life and their holidays.

In 2016, Denise opened up about her decision to step back from presenting, citing family commitments.

Speaking to The Lawyer magazine, she expressed: "I stopped filming since I had my son. I now have a family, I have two stepchildren and I got married last year. I couldn't do everything so I pulled back on the TV bit, although I'm looking to get back into it."

Escape to the Country airs weekdays from 3pm on BBC One and iPlayer