TV presenter Michelle Ackerley has opened up about her pregnancy after recently revealing that she's expecting a baby with her husband. The Morning Live star also spoke to us about advice she's received from her co-stars.
Michelle, 40, announced her pregnancy live on the BBC show two weeks ago. Co-host Gethin Jones, 47, 'halted' an episode to give her the opportunity to share that she's four months along. Michelle, who is married to sports coach Ben Ryan, 53, has since spoken to the Mirror about how she's feeling and the support she's received from her co-stars.
We caught up with Michelle at the BAFTA Television Awards with P&O Cruises earlier this month. She joined co-stars from Morning Live, which was nominated in the daytime category, on the red carpet at the Southbank Centre's Royal Festival Hall in London ahead of the awards ceremony.
Speaking about her news, she said: "It's been so lovely. It felt so special to announce it on Morning Live just having all my friends there - we're like a big family! And I tell you what, in that group, you've got doctors, you've got lawyers, you've got nurses - you've got everybody to give you advice."
Michelle then shared that she's been "quite emotional" over the reaction, particularly as she wasn't sure if she could get pregnant. She's previously spoken about being diagnosed with endometriosis, which can lead to fertility issues.
"It's been quite overwhelming the messages that I've been getting. It's made me quite emotional, actually, because at the start of this year, I didn't even think that I could get pregnant and to be here now, y'know, my first time on the red carpet with my little baby, it's quite something," she said.
Asked how she's doing, she said: "The morning sickness has been full on. I didn't actually realise that morning sickness is actually morning, night, afternoon." She went on to tease: "It's like ... the word 'morning' is a con. That's a scam!"
Michelle - whose work also includes appearing on the One Show - continued: "So yeah, there's been a lot of nausea and headaches." She said her friends have been supporting her, including supplying her with ginger biscuits, and added: "Everyone here today has got my back, which is lovely!"
She also revealed that she's taking advice from colleagues amid the pregnancy. Many of her Morning Live co-stars, including Helen Skelton, 41, and Kimberley Walsh, 43, who were with her on the red carpet, are parents themselves.
Asked if Helen and her co-stars on the BBC One show have given her advice, Michelle told us: "Everyone has just been like 'strap in and go for it'. Helen's just been so lovely."
Michelle then shared more advice she's had. She said: "Most of the women on Morning Live are parents, so they've just been really supportive saying 'take every moment as it comes, take it step-by-step and try and enjoy the process'."
She said that it's "helped" hearing about their experiences. She said: "With the kind of morning sickness and the physical symptoms, when you talk to other people and realise it's not just you going through it, it's really helped."
Michelle was joined by co-stars including Helen, Kimberley and Gethin on the red carpet of the awards ceremony on May 11. Their group, which also included colleague Xand van Tulleken, 46, posed for photos together at the venue.
It's since been reported that pals Helen and Gethin left the BAFTAs together, with them said to have grown close whilst working on Morning Live. It's been suggested by the MailOnline that they have formed a close friendship off-screen.
A source told the outlet: "Helen and Gethin have an extremely close working relationship and there's a feeling in recent months their friendship has blossomed into a deeper connection. They're both keen to keep a lid on it to avoid public scrutiny but there's no denying their closeness both on and off screen."
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