How Carrie Bickmore kept her newly announced pregnancy a secret

 Carrie Bickmore’s pregnancy announcement came as a shock, even to the people she sees each and every day.

Thursday was the first episode of The Project since the 37-year-old joyously announced she is pregnant with her third child – and her colleagues wanted answers.

‘I want to know: It’s obvious [your bump] today, but it hasn’t been obvious before, so what have you been doing?’ Hamish Macdonald said at the top of the episode.

An adjustable chair, a tactical wardrobe and hundreds of white lies: The elaborate steps Carrie Bickmore took to keep her newly announced pregnancy a secret – and why she doesn’t want to know the gender

Carrie’s growing bump was indeed easily recognisable in the tight gold gown the journalist wore.

She explained: ‘Haven’t you noticed? I’ve been slowly lowering my chair and sitting like this [Carrie lowers her chair slightly so her bump is beneath the desk].’

‘But it was getting to the point where I was just going to be like [Carrie lowers her chair to minimum height, her head peeking above the desk] ‘Hi!’

Hamish wore an impressed grin, admitting: ‘Every night this week they [producers] have been saying ‘Hamish, can you put your chair down a bit?”

Answers! Thursday was the first episode of The Project since the 37-year-old joyously announced she is pregnant with her third child - and her colleagues wanted answers

Answers! Thursday was the first episode of The Project since the 37-year-old joyously announced she is pregnant with her third child – and her colleagues wanted answers

Peter Helliar was surprised too, telling Carrie: ‘Since you’ve announced it though, it [the bump] has gone pop!’ 

The soon to be mother-of-three had addressed similar concerns from her HIT Network radio show co-host Tommy Little earlier that day.

‘It’s funny, I’ve been wearing lots of jackets and jumpers!’ she’d explained.

How did you keep the secret? She explained: 'Haven't you noticed? I've been slowly lowering my chair and sitting like this [Carrie lowers her chair slightly so her bump is beneath the desk]'

How did you keep the secret? She explained: ‘Haven’t you noticed? I’ve been slowly lowering my chair and sitting like this [Carrie lowers her chair slightly so her bump is beneath the desk]’

Revealed: How Carrie Bickmore hid her baby bump on The Project while keeping her pregnancy a secret... as she finally reveals a hint of her growing stomach (pictured) in celebration clip

Revealed: How Carrie Bickmore hid her baby bump on The Project while keeping her pregnancy a secret... as she finally reveals a hint of her growing stomach (pictured) in celebration clip

Step two: On her Hit Network radio show Carrie & Tommie earlier on Thursday, Carrie explained the other steps  she’d taken to keep the secret: ‘It’s funny, I’ve been wearing lots of jackets and jumpers!’  

Carrie added in response to Pete: ‘My stomach muscles have been like ‘ah! Finally!’ I’ve been sucking in!’

‘It’s nice to feel better too I’ve been sick as a dog! I’m surprised you haven’t noticed me dry-retching next to you?’

Taking a deep, relieved breath, she concluded: ‘It’s nice to finally relax.’  

So that's how she did it! Carrie explained that she's been wearing 'lots of jackets' on The Project to hide her pregnancy and even lowering her chair to disguise her bump. Pictured left, in January, and right, on Tuesday

So that's how she did it! Carrie explained that she's been wearing 'lots of jackets' on The Project to hide her pregnancy and even lowering her chair to disguise her bump. Pictured left, in January, and right, on Tuesday

 ‘I’ve been dry-retching next to you!’ Carrie seemed genuinely surprised her longtime colleague Peter Helliar was unaware: I’m surprised you haven’t noticed me dry-retching next to you?’

Later in the show, Carrie recalled the conversation she had with her obstetrician, after realising she was likely pregnant.

 ‘I was feeling so sick I said to my obstetrician, ‘There is definitely another one in there. You have to find it! I feel so sick.”

She also took a subtle jab at her son Oliver’s reaction to his mum’s pregnancy news.

If only it were that easy! Commenting on the Instagram video of herself breaking the news to her kids Evie, three and Oliver, 11, Carrie said: 'I love how Ollie says "We're having a baby!" 

If only it were that easy! Commenting on the Instagram video of herself breaking the news to her kids Evie, three and Oliver, 11, Carrie said: ‘I love how Ollie says ‘We’re having a baby!’ 

Commenting on the Instagram video of herself breaking the news to her kids Evie, three and Oliver, 11, Carrie said: ‘I love how Ollie says ‘We’re having a baby!’

‘Yeah, you can have it – but I have to get it out!’ she joked.  

Earlier, the mother-of-two finally revealed a peek of her growing baby bump in an Instagram video taken of her celebrating the happy news with her colleagues at HIT network.  

Hard part! 'Yeah, you can have it - but I have to get it out!' she joked in relation to her son's comments

Hard part! ‘Yeah, you can have it – but I have to get it out!’ she joked in relation to her son’s comments

Carrie was seen showing off her blossoming belly in a clingy black dress as she danced around with her cheering colleagues. 

While that reaction may have been enjoyable, it’s clearly got nothing on the heartwarming responses her brood displayed in the original announcement video.

The Project star was seen in the video telling her children: ‘there’s a baby in mummy’s tummy!’ 

Big announcement, sweet reactions: While her Project co-star's reactions may have been enjoyable, it's clearly got nothing on the heartwarming responses her brood displayed in the original announcement video

Big announcement, sweet reactions: While her Project co-star’s reactions may have been enjoyable, it’s clearly got nothing on the heartwarming responses her brood displayed in the original announcement video

Now? After Carrie told her kids 'there's a baby in mummy't tummy,' little Evie asked: 'Now? 'Is it a boy or a girl?... Have you got twins?'

Now? After Carrie told her kids ‘there’s a baby in mummy’t tummy,’ little Evie asked: ‘Now? ‘Is it a boy or a girl?… Have you got twins?’

Evie was instantly overcome with excitement, looking at her mother’s stomach in disbelief and asking: ‘Now? ‘Is it a boy or a girl?… Have you got twins?’

Carrie laughed as her daughter danced excitedly, before ultimately explaining she was certainly not having twins, and would not be finding out the gender.

 According to News Corp, the TV star has decided not to inquire about her third child’s gender.

No twins! Carrie laughed as her daughter danced excitedly, before ultimately explaining she was certainly not having twins, and would not be finding out the gender 

No twins! Carrie laughed as her daughter danced excitedly, before ultimately explaining she was certainly not having twins, and would not be finding out the gender 

‘I don’t know, I found out with Ollie, found out with Evie and I’m thinking maybe I just let it go for this one, let it be a surprise!’ she explained.

Carrie raises her two kids with partner Chris Walker, who is the father of Evie.

She had Oliver with beloved husband Greg Lange, who passed away from brain cancer in 2010.

Why not? 'I don’t know, I found out with Ollie, found out with Evie and I’m thinking maybe I just let it go for this one, let it be a surprise!' Carrie explained of her decision to keep the gender a mystery on Thursday 

Why not? ‘I don’t know, I found out with Ollie, found out with Evie and I’m thinking maybe I just let it go for this one, let it be a surprise!’ Carrie explained of her decision to keep the gender a mystery on Thursday 

Carrie met her partner Chris while he worked as a producer on The Project. It is believed the pair began dating in 2012. 

In October 2014, they announced they were expecting their first child together, daughter Evie. They welcomed their little girl into the world in 2015.    

That same year, she dedicated her Gold Logie to her late husband and spoke candidly of his cancer battle during the acceptance speech.

One happy family! Carrie raises her two kids with partner Chris Walker, who is the father of Evie 

One happy family! Carrie raises her two kids with partner Chris Walker, who is the father of Evie 

Tragedy: She had Oliver with her beloved husband Greg Lange, who passed away from brain cancer in 2010 

Tragedy: She had Oliver with her beloved husband Greg Lange, who passed away from brain cancer in 2010 

‘He [Greg] was a great father and great husband. He wore lots of hats to hide his scars and I would tell him ‘don’t be embarrassed,” she said. 

She also promoted her charity ‘Carrie’s Beanies 4 Brain Cancer’ during the speech.

As of May this year, she has raised $4.5 million for brain cancer research from the sales of the beanies.

Carrie is yet to reveal how far along in her pregnancy she is with her third child. Daily Mail Australia has reached out for comment. 

Dedicated! Carrie dedicated her 2015 Gold Logie speech to Greg: 'He was a great father and great husband. He wore lots of hats to hide his scars and I would tell him "don't be embarrassed,"' she told the tearful audience

Dedicated! Carrie dedicated her 2015 Gold Logie speech to Greg: ‘He was a great father and great husband. He wore lots of hats to hide his scars and I would tell him ‘don’t be embarrassed,” she told the tearful audience



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