The Nicola Thorp baby announcement arrived on 15 September 2026, when the broadcaster and activist shared a photoshoot to her Instagram confirming she is expecting her second child with husband Nikesh Patel. The images show Thorp cradling her bump, with Patel and her daughter appearing in several of the frames. Her caption read simply: ‘Sparking pregnancy rumours…’
The post drew an immediate wave of warm comments from across the entertainment world. Nathalie Emmanuel wrote ‘Awwww’, while Carol Vorderman offered: ‘Mahoosive congratulations missus xxx’. Sue Cleaver went a step further: ‘V exciting. I know my god daughter will make the best big sister.’ Varada Sethu told Thorp: ‘Omg you look beautiful!!!! Congrats’. Melvin Odoom, Dermot O’Leary, Paul Gorton, Oti Mabuse, Kym Marsh and Clara Amfo were also among those who left messages of support.
From Weatherfield to expecting again: Nicola Thorp’s journey since Coronation Street
Thorp played Nicola Rubinstein on ITV‘s Coronation Street between 2017 and 2019. Her character’s exit came after serial killer Pat Phelan went on one final rampage and accidentally shot her, though the wound was not fatal, and Nicola Rubinstein left Weatherfield alive.
Since departing the soap, Thorp has built a prominent profile as a regular contributor on ITV’s This Morning and has used her platform to speak out on issues including feminine sanitary products and humanitarian crises. In reply to a comment on the pregnancy post, she was characteristically direct about her plans, writing: ‘I’m barely mat leave.’
The Nicola Thorp baby announcement caps a busy few years for the couple
Thorp and Patel, who is 40, according to GEO News, first got together in 2021. They announced their engagement in 2023, and 2024 brought two major milestones: their wedding and the birth of their daughter. The new pregnancy means the couple will soon be a family of four.
The pair also appeared together on Celebrity Hunted, competing as a team. Things did not go entirely to plan for Patel, who had to join the show late after testing positive for COVID. Thorp, meanwhile, holds the less enviable distinction of being the first contestant caught that series.
With a second child on the way, a Nicola Thorp baby announcement of this magnitude is the kind of news that tends to pause a busy career, at least briefly. Thorp has made clear she does not plan to pause for long. Whether a newborn will have other ideas remains between her and the baby.
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