Download The world news app and enjoy additional content
The Inbetweeners actress Emily Atack, 34, has revealed that she is expecting her first child with her boyfriend, Dr Alistair Garner, a nuclear scientist.
The couple, who have not yet confirmed their relationship publicly, are said to be over the moon with the pregnancy news and have moved in together to prepare for the arrival of their baby.
A source close to the pair told The Sun: "Emily and Alistair are very happy together and can't wait to become parents. They have been dating for a while now and decided to keep their romance low-key until they felt ready to share it with the world. They are very much in love and have a lot in common, especially their passion for science and comedy."
The source added: "Emily is glowing and feeling great. She is looking forward to the next chapter of her life with Alistair and their little one."
The happy news comes after a turbulent decade of love for the comedy star, who has been open about her dating struggles and heartbreaks.
In 2018, she split from her long-term boyfriend, model Jack Vacher, after five years together. She then entered the I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! jungle, where she finished as the runner-up and won over the viewers with her hilarious antics and candid confessions.
She later revealed that she had a brief fling with fellow campmate Harry Redknapp's son, Jamie, but it did not work out. She also dated singer-songwriter Rob Jowers for six months in 2019, but they parted ways amid cheating rumours.
Since then, Emily has focused on her career and her mental health, launching her own comedy show, The Emily Atack Show, and writing a memoir, Are We There Yet?, in which she shared her personal experiences and insights on love, life and growing up.
She also became a regular panellist on Celebrity Juice, alongside host Keith Lemon and team captain Laura Whitmore.
Emily, who rose to fame as Charlotte Hinchcliffe in the hit sitcom The Inbetweeners, has previously spoken about her desire to settle down and have children, but also admitted that she felt pressure from society to do so.
She told OK! magazine in 2020: "I'm still young, but I do want to have kids at some point. I think it's really hard for women, because people say, 'Oh, you're career-driven'. But I'm not, I just want to have fun and enjoy my life. I don't want to be 50 and on my own with no kids."
She added: "I do feel pressure from people around me. People say to me, 'Oh, you're 30 now, you should probably start thinking about it'. But I don't think I should have to think about it until I'm ready."
It seems that Emily has finally found her Mr Right in Alistair, who works as a senior nuclear scientist at the Atomic Weapons Establishment in Berkshire.
According to his LinkedIn profile, he has a PhD in nuclear physics from the University of Surrey and has been involved in several research projects and publications on nuclear fusion, radiation and energy.
He is also a fan of comedy and music, and has attended several gigs and festivals with Emily, including the Latitude Festival in Suffolk last year.
The couple are reportedly planning to announce their pregnancy news officially in the coming weeks, and are looking forward to welcoming their baby in the summer of 2024.
We wish them all the best and congratulations on their exciting news! 🎉
