HOLLYOAKS STAR NIKKI I’ve had a baby on TV next I want one of my own
WHEN it comes to having babies on screen, Hollyoaks star Nikki Sanderson has had plenty of practice.
She’s even ‘given birth’ by a railway line – and made it so realistic a midwife watching the filming reckoned she must have had kids before.
She couldn’t have been more wrong. But now, at 32, Nikki reveals she’s nearly ready to go through the drama for real and start a family with boyfriend Greg Whitehurst.
“Babies are definitely in my future,” says the beauty, who plays fiesty Maxine Minniver.
“I’m maternal and everybody who knows me knows just how much I love children. Right now I’m really busy with Hollyoaks, but Greg had a new nephew the other day and we’ve got a couple of other nieces and nephews. They’re all amazing.
Happiest
“And I’m very close to Eva, who plays my two-year-old daughter on Hollyoaks. I absolutely idolise her.
“She’s just incredible. I call her Eva the Diva. She’s just the happiest, cuddliest, friendliest little girl and she’s got this little cheeky side coming through which is just wonderful. The little looks she gives you.
“Her mum is so lovely she keeps in touch with me all the t i me about what s he’s been up to.”
But the exCoronation Street s t ar reveals she and her screen daughter have also been sharing an off-screen bond she would rather not have – as victims of online bullying.
Trolls rounded on Nikki when she started dating long-time friend Greg just weeks after his marriage ended last year. Nikki’s ‘crime’ was that she’d been a guest at his wedding.
The star later spoke out and set the record straight in a magazine interview confirming there was no crossover between the relationships and the break- up hadn’t been her fault.
“Things are really great at home with my boyfriend,” she explains. We’re really great. We’re very happy.
“But you do get negativity, stuff via the internet, social media. I’ve been lucky – I know I’ve not had it as badly as some other people have, but I’ve had a few things in the last year or so. I just hate it.
“I think it’s disgusting that we live in a society where people think it’s necessary to pick on other people for anything and everything that they feel they possibly can.
“It’s disgusting that people i mmediately l ook for nasty comments before they look for nice
ones. The jealousy is disgusting too. We live in a time now where it’s a constant barrage of abuse at people for anything and everything.” What has also hurt her is that trolls have attacked her screen daughter – just because Eva is a Down’s Syndrome child. “I’ve had the usual nastiness, abuse – but even Eva’s mum has had it about her too,” she says. “It makes my b blood boil. “Sh She’s two – why wou would anybody want to be abusive about h her? “She’s j ust w wonderful, but her mum is a amazing in the w way she copes w with it. “She says she has no anger. I never retaliate, because that’s what they want. But don’t get me wrong – it can affect me and it can upset me. It’s sad that there’s so much online trolling. “I’ve seen some of my co-workers get a lot. When I first started in this industry this didn’t exist. If you got nastiness it was said to your face in the street. As soon as you call people out they backtrack. “I just wish we could be more supportive towards each other. I don’t believe negativity gets you anywhere.” But the cruel jibes about Eva have served to s t r engthen Nikki’s maternal instincts. The only obstacle to motherhood she faces is her work commitments. “I don’t