Sophie Rundle’s bundle of joy? Looks as if it’ll be here VERY soon...
AS THE star of TV thriller The Nest, she played a woman whose path to motherhood was an emotional rollercoaster. But the heavily pregnant Sophie Rundle looked the picture of health and happiness as she took a stroll in rain-soaked London.
She cradled her bump while partner Matt Stokoe held their retriever Buddy on a leash, with one onlooker saying: ‘They were smiling, they were very relaxed in each other’s company and just looked so happy.’
Sophie, who also stars in Peaky Blinders and Gentleman Jack, recently shared a picture of her baby bump on Instagram. She told followers that there was a ‘new friend on the way’, adding that her first child would be ‘arriving here with the daffodils and the sunnier days of spring’.
The couple, who met in 2016 on the set of the Sky One dr a ma J a mestown, bot h sported gold bands during the morning walk, but have never confirmed rumours that they are married. The 32-year-old actress has barely been off the screens in recent years with appearances in Bodyguard, Happy Valley and Elizabeth Is Missing. Her last role was alongside Stokoe, also 32, in horror film Rose: A Love Story, which he wrote.
Meanwhile, filming of the second series of period drama Gentleman Jack began last November, with Sophie reprising her role as Ann Walker opposite Suranne Jones.
The BBC1 show, which averaged 6.8 million viewers during its first run, is based on the diaries of Anne Lister, played by Ms Jones, and the same-sex relationships she was involved in.
The new series will depict her character setting up home with Ms Walker at Shibden Hall, West Yorkshire. The couple remained together until Ms Lister’s death in 1840, after which Ms Walker’s f amily had her declared insane and consigned to an asylum.
But Sophie is full of praise for her character, saying: ‘To do this transgressive thing must have taken so much strength of character and I love her so much for that. I just think, “What a hero.” ’
However, real life for her is more mundane. She once said: ‘I’m confident on set but red carpets and designer clothes make me feel exposed.’