Former Coronation Street star Nicola Thorp has welcomed her first child, a baby girl.
The actress, 34, who played Nicola Rubinstein in the Manchester-based soap, and her fiancé Nikesh Patel announced the news on Instagram on Thursday.
While sharing they were ‘delighted’ to welcome their daughter, Nicola also emotionally shared that being on social media was a ‘difficult place’ due to the ongoing Hamas-Israel conflict.
Sharing a heartfelt photo of her daughter, Nicola posted: ‘We are delighted to say that we recently welcomed our beautiful baby daughter into the world,’ she began on social media.
‘Everything they say about birth being a rollercoaster of emotions is true. We’re shattered and smitten and everything in between.
Former Coronation Street star Nicola Thorp has revealed she’s given birth to a baby girl
The actress, who played Nicola Rubinstein in the Manchester-based soap, and her fiancé Nikesh Patel announced the news on Instagram on Thursday
‘Social media is a difficult place right now. If your timeline is anything like ours, it’s filled with images of babies and children dying in conflict or living in fear and unimaginable danger.
‘It doesn’t feel right to share our news on her without also acknowledging how fortunate we are that our baby is safe.
‘If like us you feel helpless, please consider donating to the United Nations Sexual and Reproductive Health Agency, who are responding to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and supporting pregnant women, new mums and their babies.
‘Every child deserves to be born into safety.’
Nicola confirmed she was expecting her first child with her fiancé Nikesh in a sweet post shared to Instagram in September.
The couple announced their happy news on social media by sharing snaps of Nicola cradling her baby bump alongside the words: ‘Some news.’
Their announcement received endless support from fellow celebs as Catherine Tyldesley commented: ‘Congratulations! X’ and fellow former Corrie cast member Katie McGlynn wrote: ‘Congrats lovely’.
Nicola starred on the long-running ITV soap Coronation Street from 2017 to 2019, playing social worker Nicola, who was the estranged daughter of serial killer Pat Phelan and has also starred in Celebrity Hunted.
While sharing they were ‘delighted’ to welcome their daughter, Nicola also emotionally shared that being on social media was a ‘difficult place’ due to the ongoing Hamas-Israel conflict
Their baby joy comes a year after the pair announced their engagement.
In January 2023, the equal rights campaigner took to Instagram to share a picture of herself showing off her green emerald stone ring as she cosied up to Nikesh.
The couple began their romance in October 2021, with Nicola making their relationship public by uploading a loved-up snap of them at the time.
Nikesh is known for having appeared in several television shows, including Indian Summers, Starstruck and the mini-series Four Weddings and a Funeral.
Nicola’s pregnancy has not been without its challenges.
She bravely faced the man who she had lived in fear of ‘for years’ after he made threats to rape and kill her.
She faced schizophrenic Ravinderjit Dhillon, 30, at Snaresbrook Crown Court in east London on December, 5, with Nikesh by her side – before he was sentenced to 30 months in jail and a restraining order.
It comes just a year after the pair announced their engagement . In January 2023, the equal rights campaigner took to Instagram to share a picture of herself showing off her ring
The actress played Nicola Rubinstein in the Manchester-based soap (pictured in character)
Nicola announced she was dating Hollywood actor Nikesh in October 2021 with a loved-up snap to mark her birthday (pictured at the time)
Nicola is now an advisor to the Labour Party on stalking and harassment.
The actress also recently revealed that being a mother to a baby girl has made her even more determined to campaign for gender equality.
Nicola has been a prominent equal rights campaigner since she made headlines in 2016 after she was sacked from her receptionist job for refusing to wear high heels.
She revealed that pregnancy has made her ‘softer’ as she has turned into ‘more of a lioness on stuff’.
The TalkTV’s breakfast show host told the Independent: ‘It’s no longer about me fighting for myself, it’s about me fighting for my daughter – and not just on issues of misogyny, but issues of race as well.’
The TalkToday star also revealed that she has also started to feel more strongly about racism since falling pregnant as she revealed that some people don’t think they should be having a child because they ‘come from different ethnic backgrounds’.
Nicola stopped hosting the morning show, alongside Jeremy Kyle, in December 2023 in preparation for childbirth.
While the early starts may be a struggle for some, Nicola revealed that being in the makeup chair at 4am feels ‘perfect for getting her ready for motherhood’.