Actress Kara Tointon introduces her baby son and reveals the special story behind his name in an exclusive interview and photoshoot in HELLO! magazine.
Announcing the new arrival is called Helly, Kara, 37, tells HELLO!, "He is an incredibly cool little man. He is very Zen, he has a calming effect. He is so chilled and wonderful."
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The little boy's name has links to Kara's fiancé's native Norway. "We found it had both Indian history and Scandinavian links," says Kara who is engaged to chiropractor and tech entrepreneur, Marius Jensen, with who she also has a two-year-old son, Frey.
© Photo: HELLO!Marius and Kara with their newborn son
Delving deeper into its origins, Marius tells HELLO!, "The first Helly we found was an old Norwegian sea captain, from a place in Norway called Moss, a tiny little town where my grandmother is from. We looked him up and he was a big, bearded guy like myself and it sort of fell into place."
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They have also given their son the middle names of Juel – "A Norwegian name that sounds like Yule as he is the perfect after-Christmas gift to us" – and Parsell (the maiden name of Kara's beloved mum who passed away in 2019).
In the new interview, the screen and stage star reveals his birth on 8th January, a week before the due date, was by elective Caesarean, decided on after the four-day ordeal she went through with Frey which resulted in an emergency C-section when his heartbeat dropped after 58 hours of labour.
© Photo: HELLO!Helly was born a week before his due date via elective Caesarean
"This time it was kind of strange knowing we had the date for going into hospital and to know the birth would be that morning," says Kara who stayed in for one night before returning home. "They are keen to get people out of hospital as soon as they can with all that is going on."
Of the birth at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, Kara adds, "It was so strange as it seemed almost deserted, but we were both so aware that on the other side of the hospital it must have been pandemonium. It is amazing what they are all doing right now."
Of becoming a mum of two, she says, "You start by thinking, 'How am I going to do this?' But having two feels strangely easier, although I don't know if I'm talking too soon."
She also tells HELLO! of her hopes for the recovery of the theatre industry: "I like to be optimistic and I believe we will be able to enjoy it once more. When I can come back to it, I think I will probably embrace it even more."
To read the full article, pick up the latest issue of HELLO! on sale now. Subscribe to HELLO! to get the magazine delivered free to your door every week or purchase the digital edition online via our Apple or Google apps.
