TV’s Julia: Having kids saved my parents’ lives

TV presenter Julia Bradbury has controversially claimed that her pregnancies ‘ saved’ both her parents’ lives by giving them something to look forward to.

the 47yearold Britain’s Best Walks star, right, has children Zephyrus, five, and twins Xanthe and Zena, two, by partner Gerard Cunningham.

Her Greek mother was diagnosed with cancer when Julia was pregnant with her first child and her father was later diagnosed with cancer of the prostate gland when Zephyrus was still small.

Former Countryfile presenter Julia

says: ‘My mother was diagnosed with bowel cancer when I was pregnant with Zeph and I think that made a big difference.

‘I kept saying to her: “You can’t go, you can’t go, you have to stay to meet your grandchild.”

‘Gerard and I didn’t want to know the baby’s sex but Mum did.

‘She felt it would make the baby feel more real, more tangible if she knew. So we gave the doctors permission to tell her — she was thrilled. I remember afternoons sitting holding hands on the sofa.

‘She’d put her hand on my tummy and I’d put my hand on hers. It was so peaceful and happy.

‘When Zeph was born, Mum and Dad were so excited. Mum pulled through and, later, Dad did too.

‘We reckon the children saved both my parents’ lives by giving them something to look forward to.’

Bradbury has said her mother badgered her to have children ever since she was 20. At nearly 40, she was still single and, having been diagnosed years earlier with endometriosis, a condition affecting the womb lining, she was resigned to the fact she might never give birth.

Julia’s mother Chrissi is now 79 and her father Michael is 76. Both are very hands- on grandparents and drive the 100 miles to London from their home in Rutland at least once a week to help with childcare.