Rachel: “I’m overjoyed I’m having a baby”
Hollyoaks star Rachel Adedeji announces her pregnancy to Closer and opens up about napping on set, plus what new mums Jen Metcalfe and Chelsee Healey think about her news
She found fame on The X S Factor and now plays Lisa Loveday in Hollyoaks – but Rachel Adedeji is about to take on a very different role, this time as a mum! The pregnant star is over the moon with her baby news and, when we meet up for her Closer photoshoot, Rachel can’t contain her excitement.
“We are overjoyed,” she smiles as she pats her 23-week bump. “I’m due on the 27 December so we’ll have a Christmas baby.”
Rachel, 25, who has been married to talent agent Jason Finegan for two years, says she’s been lucky and has enjoyed a relatively easy pregnancy so far.
“I’ve felt more tired but, apart from that, I’ve been fine,” she says. “We often do 12-hour days filming so I try to nap halfway through the day. The team have been brilliant and tell me to sleep whenever I need to; I couldn’t be luckier.”
Hollyoaks is no stranger to pregnancy on set, with both Jennifer Metcalfe, who plays Mercedes Mcqueen, and Chelsee Healey, who plays Goldie Mcqueen, having recently given birth. Jennifer had baby boy Daye in June, with Chelsee following in July with her baby daughter.
“Jen and Chelsee are both getting on brilliantly and have been giving me loads of advice,” reveals Rachel. “When Chelsee found out, she said to me: ‘It’s the best thing ever, you can’t imagine ever loving anything as much as you love your baby.’
“And Jen has been amazing – I couldn’t ask for a better friend. As soon as I found out I was pregnant I was like, ‘Jen, what do I do?!’ She’s an amazing mother and seeing her and Greg [Lake, her partner] with Daye is just adorable. We’ve been talking about holidaying together once my baby arrives.”
KEEPING IT A SECRET
The team at Hollyoaks has already started adapting Lisa’s wardrobe to accommodate Rachel’s growing bump. And she tells us: “Lisa is a very vibrant character and doesn’t wear many clothes! But the team has been brilliant in allowing new clothes to fit Lisa’s personality. Instead of hot pants and a bra, it’s hot pants and a loose top!”
Rachel – who came ninth on 2009’s X Factor – recalls the moment she found out she was expecting while on a birthday trip to Amsterdam for a friend’s 30th.
She explains: “On the way there, I was so miserable – I knew something didn’t feel right. The next morning I bought a pregnancy test and two lines came up straight away. My initial reaction was to laugh, then I told Jason and he started crying tears of joy.”
But hiding the pregnancy from their friends on the trip wasn’t easy.
“It was funny because we went out as normal and The star found
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with ice and lemon X Factor – here
with mentor but pretending to be Dannii Minogue drunk,” she laughs.
“Jason was being a bit obvious, though – shouting across the bar: ‘Do you want a vodka?!’ It wasn’t very subtle!
“We told our parents the moment we got back. We wrapped up the pregnancy test and my mum was like, ‘I need my glasses, I can’t see!’ They were all so excited.”
FINDING OUT THE SEX
Now over six months into her pregnancy, Rachel says they’ll wait until the birth to find out the sex. She says: “I wanted to find out, but Jason said: ‘We’ll love our child whatever so let’s wait and see,’ plus you don’t get many surprises in life. I’ve always wanted a boy because I’m from a family of three girls, but now I’m pregnant I know I won’t mind.”
Rachel also doesn’t mind putting on weight during her pregnancy, and tells us: “I’m craving almond croissants which probably isn’t a good thing to eat every day! But I’m enjoying seeing my body change. Carrying a baby is a miracle, so putting on weight is the least of my worries when we’ve been given such an amazing gift.”
And as they count down to their due date, Rachel says she and Jason can’t wait. She reveals: “Jason kisses my bump every morning and when he sees me, he says: ‘Aw my babies.’ We can’t wait to be parents!”