TELEVISION star Denise Van Outen could face a driving ban after being accused of travelling at nearly twice the speed limit.

Denise, 25, was said to be speeding through roadworks in her VW Beetle on the M40 motorway near Handy Cross, High Wycombe, on Friday morning.

Police with a speed gun say they clocked the former Big Breakfast presenter exceeding the 40mph limit. It was the same stretch of motorway as pop star fianc Jay Kay was stopped and banned for speeding two years ago.

Denise was heading to London from Jay Kay's £1.6 million Horsenden Manor, near Princes Risborough, and is likely to be summoned to appear before magistrates where she may lose her licence.

In August 1998 Jay Kay was stopped for speeding at 111mph in his silver Ferrari F40 on the M40 near Stokenchurch.

He told Beaconsfield magistrates he had been rushing home because he believed a female stalker was at his mansion.

He was banned from driving for 42 days and fined £540 and ordered to pay £35 costs.

PC Ian Bogart of Amersham Traffic, who pulled Denise over, said: 'The lady has been reported.

'She was exceeding the speed limit between roadworks on the M40. I spoke to her and she was stopped like any other member of the public would be stopped.

'She was perfectly reasonable and there was no animosity.'

A spokesman for Thames Valley Police said a female motorist was clocked by an officer doing 73mph in a 40 limit on the M40 south of junction four at about 11.15am on Friday. He added: 'A court summons will be issued in due course.'