Martine: “I didn’t think motherhood would happen for me”
Martine Mccutcheon opens up about her struggle to have son Rafferty and reveals she’d love more children
Throughout her three decades T in the spotlight, Martine Mccutcheon has pretty much had one drama after another. But despite battles with her health, money and career, the actress finally found her happy ending when she and husband Jack Mcmanus welcomed son Rafferty – their only child – in February 2015.
It came as an even bigger blessing for Martine, 41 – who was declared bankrupt over £187,000 debts after ME and depression meant work dried up – as she’d suffered multiple heartbreaking miscarriages.
GETTING STRONGER
Martine was first diagnosed with the debilitating neurological condition ME, also known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, in 2011 after years of struggling with symptoms. And she feared the condition would prevent her from being a mum.
She says, “I haven’t been able to have another so far. But I am so happy that I have Rafferty as at one point I didn’t even think that would happen. I never had problems getting pregnant, but my body was quite weak because of the ME so it took me a lot longer than we thought to sustain a pregnancy.
“But as time went on, I got stronger and stronger. It was a good indicator, healthwise, and I was able to carry Rafferty to term despite suffering miscarriages before.
“I would like another, but I’m thankful I’m a mother, whether it is to one or ten kids. If I were to be pregnant again, I’d be delighted, but I think what will be, will be.
“Rafferty turned three recently and, when you have a young child, the years just fly by. I thought I was normal after he was born, but when I look back at the photos, I looked like I’d been hit by a truck!”
The actress – who is the daughter of author Jenny Tomlin – first burst onto our screens as barmaid Tiffany in Eastenders in 1994. She launched a music career in the late ’90s and her debut track, Perfect Moment, went straight to number one.
She won a Laurence Olivier award for her stage portrayal of Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady in 2000, but was forced to quit the musical after three months due to ill health, and was later dropped by her record label.
UNABLE TO WORK
Martine went on to star as tea lady Natalie in Love Actually, but her Hollywood career failed to blossom as predicted and, at the height of her health battles, she was confined to a wheelchair and unable to work.
But she says her singer-songwriter husband Jack, 33 – whom she married in 2012 and who she now works with writing songs – has been her rock throughout.
She says, “Jack is always there to support me no matter what. Being parents has brought us closer together in more ways than one. We have a baby at home who needs us and it breaks that intense bubble when you are recording. If Jack and I had a disagreement in the studio, we couldn’t
hold a grudge for long as we’d then have to discuss who was making his bottle!” Martine revealed last year that she was also battling Lyme disease – a bacterial infection which is spread to humans by ticks. But despite so many setbacks, she’s determined to emerge triumphant. She revealed that homeopathy has helped her feel back in control of her health, and she has just recorded her latest album. She adds, “For now, I am fine, but it’s something I have to manage and if I don’t take care it [ME], could flare up again. Homeopathy has been a major help for me. I was sceptical about it at first, but the results have been phenomenal. “Whereas some women don’t enjoy getting older, I love it and feel that where I am as a person and in my career is now matching up to the age I am. I finally have the answers that I didn’t have at 20.”