Martine McCutcheon has exclusively revealed in this week's issue of HELLO! magazine that she is to become a mum. The 38-year-old actress and singer is three-and-a-half months pregnant with a baby boy – her first child with her husband of almost two years, singer-songwriter Jack McManus. Speaking about her joy, Martine, who revealed last year how she fought a secret seven-year battle with chronic fatigue syndrome ME, which led to severe depression, said: "This pregnancy has brought us a joy we never knew existed."
Martine McCutcheon and her husband Jack McManus are expecting their first baby on Valentine's Day
"We'd always said that if we were fortunate to be blessed with a child, that would be wonderful, but we were very aware that it's not a given," she said. "As a woman in her late 30s who's experienced health problems, I thought I might have to accept that it wasn't a path my life was going to take, but it would have been a great sadness in our lives if that had been the case." The baby, who is due on Valentine's Day next year, is the highlight in what has been a challenging period for the Love Actually star, who was declared bankrupt in February 2013, after her illness left her unable to work.
Martine McCutcheon also opens up about her struggle with ME in this week's issue of HELLO!
"It was a terrible time in our lives," admitted Martine. "But you discover who your friends are and we found amazing support from people who really came through for us. "It's like finally the tides have turned. Great things are starting to happen on the work front, but more than anything, expecting our baby boy has given us clarity about what matters." Read the full interview and see the exclusive photos in HELLO! magazine out now.