Fleur East's poignant reason for starting a family as she announces pregnancy

01 January 2024 , 14:47

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Fleur East's poignant reason for starting a family as she announces pregnancy

Fleur East's decision to start a family with her husband was inspired by the tragic loss of her beloved father.

The mum-to-be, who announced her pregnancy news to fans on New Year's Day, sadly lost her father Malcom in 2020 when he died after suffering a heart attack.

Speaking in October 2022, Fleur admitted her dad's passing had made her more eager to welcome children into the world with her husband Marcel Badiane-Robin.

Fleur, who was competing on Strictly Come Dancing at the time, said: "I appreciate things more. It's interesting because before I was like, 'I'll take it as it comes, I'm not in a rush, we've got time'. But as soon as you lose someone, you're like 'Wow! Okay'. You can't really plan for anything, nothing's promised."

Fleur East sadly lost her beloved father in 2020 (xxxxxx/Instagram)

The star, who tied the knot in Morocco in 2019, went on to the tell the Daily Mail: "So it's changed my views on that definitely. I'm a bit more open to the idea of starting a family now. I'm still not planning it, but I'm not waiting and saying, 'I'll start in a year' or anything like that. We are just letting things happen naturally now!"

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And now, just over a year on from sharing her family dream, Fleur and Marcel are preparing to become parents for the first time. Taking to Instagram on New Year's Day, the Strictly: It Takes Two host cradled her blossoming bump in a snap and told her followers: "2024 is gonna be different..."

Fleur announced her pregnancy to fans on New Year's Day

The Strictly Come Dancing star married her husband in 2019 (Dave Benett/Getty Images for evian)

Fans were quick to congratulate the pregnant star underneath the post, with many claiming to have suspected Fleur was with child due to her wardrobe choices over recent weeks. "I knew it!! Baggy blazers on it takes two covered it well! Congratulations," one fan commented underneath Fleur's announcement on Monday, with another adding: "Huge congratulations..I did wonder when some of your outfits on it takes two were baggy xx."

Fleur and her husband Marcel married in 2019, just months before the former X Factor star's dad died in 2020. Speaking in 2022, Fleur expressed how thankful she was for her wedding, especially since losing her father. It made their moments together, like him walking her down the aisle, even more special.

She shared with Hello!: "Gosh, we're so grateful. He got to walk me up the aisle and we have all those amazing memories as a family, not just as a couple, so that's been comforting. The feelings still come in waves I see something and it reminds me and I get upset. Then I'll see something that makes me smile, so it's ups and downs. His birthday was always around Father's Day, so everything is a reminder, constantly."

Zoe Delaney