Lacey Turner has announced she’s expecting her first child.
The 30-year-old actress – who is best known for her role as Stacey Fowler in BBC soap EastEnders – has confirmed she is pregnant with her first baby with her husband Matt Kay, whom she married in 2017.
Confirming the news to OK! Magazine – where she said she was due in mid-July – Lacey said the couple have “dreamed of having a family for so long”.
Read more: EastEnders’ Lacey Turner celebrates first wedding anniversary
Lacey told the publication: “I can’t wait to nurture our baby – we’ve dreamed of having a family for so long. When you’ve lost babies all you care about is the heartbeat – we’ve had about 12 scans.”
The former Our Girl star tragically suffered two miscarriages before her current pregnancy, and told OK! she felt as though her “whole world had fallen to pieces” when she lost her babies.
She said: “I blamed myself thinking that I’d done something wrong. I’d think, ‘Why me? What did I do?’ But, of course, I hadn’t done anything wrong – it’s all down to chromosomes and luck, really. Speaking to other people about it helped me. Women shouldn’t feel ashamed to talk about it as it happens to so many women.”
And although she’s thrilled to be starting a family of her own now, Lacey admits the morning sickness has been tough to deal with, as she says special bands worn to combat sea sickness became her “best friend”.
She added: “Sea sick bands were my best friend! I’d only take them off to have a bath. When I was wearing them, I’d time it so I’d get up 20 minutes earlier, throw up and then drive to work. I was okay as long as I was eating constantly!”
Read the full story in this week’s OK! Magazine – out today
Matt and Stacey tied the knot in a romantic ceremony in Ibiza in September 2017.
The childhood sweethearts met when they were just 15 and Matt popped the question during a trip to Venice in 2016.
The loved-up couple said “I do” in front of 120 of their closest friends and family.
Many of her EastEnders cast mates, past and present, also attended the ceremony including Laurie Brett (Jane Beale), Scott Maslen (Jack Branning), James Bye (Martin Fowler), Jake Wood (Max Branning), Aaron Sidwell (Steven Beale), and Barbara Windsor (Peggy Mitchell).
Read more: Fans confused as EastEnders dedicates episode to Ann Slater
Speaking about her big day, Lacey told OK! Magazine at the time: “I didn’t go to sleep until 5am on our wedding night as I was still so excited about the day and then I woke up at 8am!”
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