Call The Midwife star Helen George has announced she is pregnant with her second child.
The actress, 37, took to Instagram on Wednesday afternoon to share her baby news alongside the first photo of her blossoming baby bump.
Tagging her partner Jack Ashton, Helen wrote: ‘Baking number 2. Due in December.’
‘Baking number 2!’: Call The Midwife star Helen George has announced she is pregnant with her second child
Helen’s followers soon took the comments section, including Helen’s co-star Cliff Parisi who wrote: ‘Congratulations’.
The actress, who is best known for playing Trixie Franklin on the BBC drama series, in mother to daughter Wren Ivy, three, who she shares with her partner and Call The Midwife co-star Jack, 35
Jack played Trixie’s one-time fiancé the Reverend Tom Hereward and the couple met on the set of the medical drama and grew close while filming on location in South Africa.
Having a baby: The actress is best known for playing Trixie Franklin on the BBC drama series (pictured)
Baby joy: Tagging her partner Jack Ashton, Helen wrote: ‘Baking number 2. Due in December
Wonderful news: People soon took to the comments, including Helen’s co-star Cliff Parisi who wrote: ‘Congratulations’
Family: The actress is already mother to daughter Wren Ivy, three, who she shares with her partner and Call The Midwife co-star Jack, 35
Previously describing their relationship to Stella magazine, Helen said: ‘It was a slow process. All of us on the show are mates. We all hang out together and Jack always really makes me laugh.’
Helen had a difficult pregnancy with her daughter Wren as she developed serious complications which led to her being born three weeks early.
The actress told MailOnline in 2017 after the birth: ‘My baby was delivered early because I developed a liver condition called ICP.’
Cute: Jack shared this sweet photo with their daughter Wren as they celebrated Helen’s birthday at the weekend
Complicated: Helen had a difficult pregnancy when she had Wren as she developed serious complications, with her daughter being born three weeks early (pictured in 2019)
Affecting 5,500 women a year in Britain, ICP, or intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy, is characterised by a build-up of acid in the body, which can cause premature or stillborn births.
Helen explained at the time: ‘The bile acids can actually pass into the baby through the placenta and have devastating effects. There’s a higher risk of stillbirth and it can lead to a very dangerous childbirth for the mother.
‘The side effects are mainly a really strong sense of itching. I was scratching myself so much I had bruises all over my body. It’s awful. It can drive women to suicide in some cases. It’s a horrific illness.’
Helen became a patron of ICP Support, which she praises for helping her through her ordeal.
Action! Earlier this year, Helen revealed it was a ‘miracle’ Call The Midwife could resume filming after production was halted due to the Covid pandemic
The actress said she feels the roles she has been offered have become better since she became a mother.
Speaking on This Morning in 2019, Helen said: ‘Now that I’ve had kids, my casting has changed and it’s nice now to get the good parts.’
And earlier this year, Helen revealed it was a ‘miracle’ Call The Midwife could resume filming after production was halted due to the Covid pandemic.
The actress said bosses were able to resume work on Series 10 with strict social distancing measures, but due to the coronavirus crisis they are yet to celebrate the show’s 10th Anniversary.
It comes as BBC bosses confirmed that filming had already started for the Call The Midwife Christmas Special, and offered fans a glimpse of the show’s set in a behind-the-scenes clip.
She said on This Morning: ‘We do start filming in March, then the first lockdown was announced. We started in September and filmed all the way to Christmas.
‘We finished, gosh, seven weeks ago and started filming new series this week also.’
Helen explained that the cast usually have a six month break between filming for each series, but work has already started on Series 11, which will include their annual festive special.
Exciting: It comes as BBC bosses confirmed that filming had already started for the Call The Midwife Christmas Special