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Natalie 'I was wrong to criticise Denise’

New mum natalie Cassidy is offering an olive branch to Denise Van Outen after she admitted she regrets sparking their bitter feud.

Natalie’s comments about Denise’s decision to return to work just weeks after giving birth turned into a public slanging match. But now the former EastEnders actress has told pals she is full of remorse and that pregnancy hormones were to blame for her bitchy outburst.

A pal tells Closer: “Natalie admits she was wrong to say what she did. She says her hormones were all over the place and now regrets her comments about Denise. She’d love to make peace with her over a cup of tea.”

Natalie, 27, mum to two-month-old Eliza with boyfriend Adam Cottrell, 30, kicked off the argument in August when she was pregnant, saying: “Denise Van Outen went back to work after two weeks because she said she needed to feel normal again. I just think, ‘What have you had a child for? Having a child should be your job.’”

Denise, 36, mum to seven-month-old Betsy with husband, actor Lee Mead, 29, hit back when Natalie appeared on TV with Eliza. Denise described herself as a “very happy working mummy” and wrote on Twitter: “Natalie’s on TV promoting her reality pregnancy/new mum show. Isn’t that work????”

Denise also pointed out that profits from the first picture of Betsy were given to charity, and that Natalie “did a family shot and put the money in her pocket.” Natalie argued she was not wealthy enough to donate the fee to charity.

But now sources say Natalie feels enough is enough.

The friend explains: “Nat wants to apologise to Denise, not stoke it up again. She thinks maybe both she and Denise were just defensive as new mums and joked neither of them probably get much sleep! She wants her to know she wasn’t saying she’s a bad mum.”

Last month, Closer reported how new mum Natalie was struggling to cope with the lack of sleep, but now it seems she’s back in control and already looks to have lost some of her baby weight. The actress has struggled with her figure in the past but sources say the notorious yo-yo dieter – who is a size 12-14 at the moment – now wants to concentrate on toning up.

A pal says: “The weight is coming off quickly, but Nat says she needs to put some effort into toning up as it’s left her ‘wobbly.’

“But she doesn’t want to lose her curves completely – she says a ‘firm 12’ is her perfect size.”

Despite hinting recently that she’d like another baby by joking she might “forget to take” her contraceptive pill, pals say she is planning to return to work soon but will take baby Eliza with her.

The source adds: “Natalie loves the idea of having siblings really close in age, but also says she has a few job offers coming in and is considering working again early next year.

“But she says when she does take a job, leaving Eliza behind is not an option and that she’ll have a dressing room big enough for the baby written into any contract.”

By Amy Swales