Hollyoaks star Jessica Fox announces she's pregnant with first child

"I am incredibly grateful and take none of this for granted."

This article discusses miscarriage, which readers may find upsetting.

Hollyoaks actress Jessica Fox has announced that she is pregnant with her first child.

The soap star shared the news in an Instagram post featuring photos of herself and husband Nick wearing Mum and Dad caps and holding up baby scans.

In a lengthy notes app message (which you can read in full if you scroll through the Instagram pictures), Fox touched on how her Hollyoaks character Nancy's on-screen pregnancy coincided with her previous real-life pregnancy, which tragically ended prematurely.

Related: 11 Hollyoaks spoilers for next week

"This week has been baby loss awareness week," she wrote. "So it seemed a good (and bad) time to share our story.

"Nick and I have been on a rocky road to get to this point. As more people bravely come forward with their stories of miscarriage and baby loss the more important I feel it is to keep talking about it. If I only post about the shiny happy stuff, that's a disservice to others in the same position, myself and the babies I didn't get to hold in my arms...

"Nick and I lost two babies in 2021. Both losses were at the end of the first trimester and completely heartbreaking. In a cruel twist of fate, when I got pregnant the second time the character I play on Hollyoaks was pregnant too.

"I started to show at work, I felt very smug that I'd have the most realistic baby bump ever," she continued. "Maybe my actual baby could even play my child on screen?! The wardrobe department (who are the kindest people on earth) were the only ones who knew I was expecting.

"And then I lost the baby. On the Friday I had a real bump, on the Monday I was putting on a fake one. It was every bit as horrific as it sounds. I tried to keep it secret and get on it...

"The inevitable happened and I had to film the birth, I have never been more terrified to film something in my life... On my due date, at work, I was handed a beautiful tiny baby and I cried uncontrollably throughout the whole scene. The director, not knowing my situation, must have thought I was fantastic. I was broken."

She explained that her mental health took a huge dive, but through meditation, the NHS, time and a holiday, things got better for her. And then, on returning from said holiday, she discovered she was pregnant again.

Related: Hollyoaks casts Neighbours star Jemma Donovan

"At 20 weeks our baby is healthy and growing... I am incredibly grateful and take none of this for granted."

She ended her post by offering her love and support to "anyone who recognises something of themselves in my story" and revealing that her baby is due in spring 2023.

Sands supports anyone affected by the death of a baby. You can contact the Sands National Helpline on 0808 164 3332, or email helpline@sands.org.uk.