Emmerdale stars Mark Jordon and Laura Norton have announced they are expecting their first child together.
The couple began dating after meeting on set in 2014, when Mark joined the soap to play Laura’s (who plays Kerry Wyatt) on-screen brother-in-law Daz Spencer.
The actors announced the news to OK! Magazine, with Laura admitting she “had tears in [her] eyes” after finding out she was pregnant.
“We’re over the moon,” she told the publication.
Laura found out she was expecting just four days before she was supposed to be returning to Emmerdale following lockdown easing.
“I think the Emmerdale producer was the first person we told!” she admitted, “I miss playing the part and being on set, but it’s there waiting for me when I’m ready to go back after having the baby.”
“I took the test on 1 June. We were out on a walk and I suddenly realised I was late. Mark asked how late I was and I said about three days but I looked at my calendar and it was 14 days!”
“In the lead up to taking the test, I was saying, ‘I’m not pregnant. I’ll just know when I am.’ I didn’t feel any different. I took the test and we looked at it together.”
Mark added: “In my heart I knew before looking at the test. We both looked at the result and there was so much joy, but for a weird moment we were both deadly silent. Time stood still while we took it in with smiles on our faces.”
“The baby is due on Mark’s birthday [25 January 2021],” Laura revealed.
Mark already shares two children with his ex-wife Siobhan Finneran, 22-year-old Joseph and 19-year-old Poppy.
“I feel very calm and safe knowing that I’ve seen what an amazing father Mark is and I’ve seen how amazing his kids are,” Laura admitted, “I know he’s going to be brilliant. I’m really excited to be a mam.”
The couple got engaged back in 2018, and were planning on tying the knot in 2021 before the coronavirus pandemic struck.
“We just thought, ‘Okay it’s not meant to happen this year, we’ll do it next year.’ And then I got pregnant!” Laura said.
“So we were going to get married but then we found out we’re having a baby. I think it was meant to be.”
