In an exclusive interview and photoshoot with HELLO! magazine, former Coronation Street actress Victoria Ekanoye has revealed she is pregnant with her and boyfriend Jonny Lomas's first child.
"We thought we would try next year. So when this pregnancy came along we were like: 'It's happening!' It did come as a bit of a surprise but it’s so unbelievably exciting," says Victoria, who is six months pregnant and due to give birth in January.
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Jonny tells HELLO!: "I am super excited as well as a bit nervous. It's a new chapter in our lives; all my friends who have kids say it’s going be hard but the best thing you will ever do."
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The couple decided to wait until now to announce their happy baby news partly due to Victoria suffering with sickle cell anemia and also because, as she says: "We know friends that have miscarried and so we waited until we were 12 weeks before we even told our parents. Then, with my health condition, we wanted a little bit more security and stability in knowing that everything is okay with baby and with me."
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This is the first child for Victoria Ekanoye and Jonny Lomas
Victoria was diagnosed with sickle cell anaemia when she was 22. "Chronic illness in general is not easy to live with but to have that during Covid-19 and to be pregnant was a lot," says Victoria.
"As I have sickle cell, this is regarded as a high-risk pregnancy but the team at St Mary's Hospital in Manchester are amazing and I see my sickle cell specialist, my obstetrician and my midwife every month and they really look after me."
The actress is due to give birth in January
The couple have settled on a planned hospital birth, with Victoria likely to be induced around week 39. She explains: "It has to be in hospital so that it's in a controlled environment. They will have blood on standby as I will need a transfusion straight after the birth."
To read the full interview with Victoria and Jonny, grab the latest issue of HELLO!, out Monday