IT might sound clichéd, but Mollie King, who is expecting her first child with fiancé Stuart Broad in just a few weeks’ time, really is glowing.
There are no signs of tiredness or frustration as the 35 year old beams her pearly white smile and cradles her bump.
“I’m feeling good,” she says. “I’m due mid-November, so not long to go. It’s something we’ve wanted for a really long time.
“I wouldn’t say I’ve always been broody, but I have always wanted a family. It’s been about the right person and the right time.
“I have five nephews and I absolutely love looking after them, which is what made me feel this is what I want.
“We’re feeling incredibly lucky. I know Stuart’s going to be such a good dad – he’s so excited.”
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Mollie and England cricketer Stuart, 36, first met through mutual friends in 2012, but didn’t get together until 2018.
After five months, their relationship fizzled out due to “conflicting schedules”.
Then, in 2019, they rekindled their romance, before announcing their engagement on New Year’s Day last year. The baby means their wedding plans are now on hold though.
“I’m definitely always thinking about it,” Mollie explains. “I’ve always dreamed of my wedding day.
“But with all of this going on, it’s: ‘Right, we will do that, but later on.’ We are juggling a lot at the moment. We’re trying to move house as well.”
Of course Baby King-Broad is likely to have a starring role in the proceedings now, too.
“I know at the wedding I’m already going to have my nephews running wild,” she says. “It would be nice to have the baby there, too. That’d be really special.”
After telling her partner and family that she was pregnant, the next most important people to break the news to were her band mates, The Saturdays’ Frankie Bridge, Una Healy, Rochelle Humes and Vanessa White.
“Frankie came to my house for dinner,” Mollie recalls, “and I was so excited to tell her.
“She was like: ‘Oh my god!’ And then I told the other girls in our WhatsApp group.”
As Frankie, Rochelle and Una all have children already, they’re full of tips to help Mollie.
“It’s funny, because I had no other friends who had babies when the girls in the band had theirs.
“And they would laugh: ‘Oh Moll, you’ve got no idea.’ I literally didn’t.
“But now my sisters have kids and obviously loads of my other friends have children too, so I feel more prepared.
“They [her band mates] have given me so much advice, but they’re also like: ‘Just do your thing and don’t get bogged down. If you need us, we’re here.’
“And of course, Rochelle has her My Little Coco baby range, so she sent me loads of stuff, like the sheet mask for my tummy.
“I’ve been so fortunate that friends have said: ‘If you want to, you can borrow this.’ There’s so much stuff to get.
“I’m also signing up for every NHS antenatal class – next week, Stuart and I have a Zoom every day, so I want to absorb all the information I can.
“I’ve done a bit of reading, but because I’m dyslexic, it’s easier for me to learn by chatting to somebody.”
While she found fame in The Saturdays, Mollie has seamlessly moved into radio presenting, doing a show on Radio 1 with best pal Matt Edmondson.
She was actually in the middle of filming their new TV show, Beauty And The Geek, on Discovery+ with him when she found out she was pregnant.
“The first three months were so hard because I didn’t want to tell anybody. I had morning sickness that felt like car sickness all day.
“It’s so weird as I was quite anxious, too. It was one of those things where I was like: ‘Right, Moll, you’ve got to get on with it.’
“Filming every day was good because it took my mind off the sickness.
“But for the last few months, I’ve felt pretty normal. I’m definitely more tired, but feeling good.”
And despite spending all day, every day, with Matt, he was blindsided when she told him her happy news.
“I was sure that Matt knew, because I was eating all the time – pizza, garlic bread, jacket potatoes.
“I usually like to be quite healthy, but I was going for it. I was like: ‘Everyone must know.’
“So at four months, I said: ‘Matt, we spend like four days a week together, so you’ve probably guessed, but I’m pregnant.’
“And he was like: ‘What?’ The look on his face said: ‘How have I missed this?’
“It was weird not to share it, but it was also quite special for myself and Stuart to know this thing.
“Now when I watch Beauty And The Geek, I know there was a baby growing at that time.
“And as the shows go on, I can see my body changing. It’ll be nice to be able to show the baby one day.”
Mollie, who’s always been slim, has embraced her changing figure over the past eight months.
“Trying new clothes has been so much fun,” she says. “And it’s been such a learning experience, because your body is changing every single week.
“I’m used to my figure, which is quite tomboyish and athletic – I don’t have curves.
“So to go from that to this! I am dressing differently and it feels like a new chapter.
“I want to celebrate my body and that it’s doing this amazing thing.
“It’s something that I’ve always hoped it would be able to do. I just want to feel as good as I can.”
As well as a new wardrobe, Mollie admits she is fully in preparation mode as they get ready for the baby’s imminent arrival.
She explains: “It’s one of those things where I didn’t really realise that I am nesting.
“But yesterday, Stuart and I got up really early and cleared out all the kitchen cabinets to make room for the baby things.
“We live in a flat at the moment and during lockdown we changed the spare bedroom into a study.
“But now it’s getting changed into a little nursery. I’m definitely in that mode of trying to set everything up and make it feel really homely and a special place for the baby to come home to.”
As well as buying new clothes for herself, she’s also been doing a different kind of shopping.
“We bought the pram two weeks ago. Trialling different models was the most fun day ever.
“The two of us were pushing them, then practising putting them up and down.
“It was really funny, because we were looking around and we could see loads of other couples looking equally as confused as we were.
“Then my mum [Susan] said: ‘It’s probably worth getting a car seat in case the baby comes early, so you can get it home.’
“So we had an emergency look online to get that.’”
So far, so organised, but Mollie admits she still feels there is a lot to do.
“I’ve not done a playlist,” she says.
“I need to add that to my list of things. I would also like to be able to watch, or listen to, an episode of Friends on my phone while the baby is being born.
“I fall asleep to Friends every single night – it’s the thing that makes my brain switch off.
“It would be fun to listen to an episode where one of them has a baby.”
And is she hoping that the baby might follow in either of its parents’ famous footsteps?
Mollie laughs: “I think it’s possible Stuart will encourage the baby to play cricket.
“He’s definitely keen for the baby to watch cricket, but he’s very set on them being a Nottingham Forest football supporter – more so than cricket.
“I’m like: ‘OK, fine, the baby can support Nottingham Forest!’”
With a pram, car seat and even a football team chosen, it looks like they’re set – but have they picked a name?
“We do know the gender,” she reveals. “I always thought we’d find out straight away, but for ages we wanted to wait.
“But then we got too excited. We haven’t told anyone yet and it’s the hardest thing not to say, because we have started at home talking about the baby using the pronoun.
“I was texting Matt about the scan and I slipped up, saying he/she and he replied: ‘I’m really glad everything was OK, but I think you’ve just told me the gender!’ I just can’t wait to properly share it, because we’re so excited.
“We actually have a name that we both love.
About two years ago, we saw this name. And I was like: ‘Oh, if ever we are lucky enough to have a baby, if it’s this gender, that name is gorgeous.’
And Stuart loved it as well. Obviously we’re looking in baby books for other suggestions.
“So we have a few in there for middle names, but I think we’re quite set on this name.”
While Stuart has ruled himself out of touring Pakistan for England’s Test Match series this winter to spend time with the family, Mollie admits that she is prepared for her fiancé going away on long stints.
“When we first started going out and he said: ‘I’m going away for three months,’ I was like: ‘Oh my god, I can’t see the finish line.’
“Sometimes they can be shorter – like six weeks – but they are often quite long, especially to Australia or New Zealand.
“But I’ve got used to it over time. Up until now, it’s given me time to do those things that are important to me.
But now it’s gonna definitely be about the baby.”
For the foreseeable future, Mollie’s main job will be being a mum, but there are plenty of people hoping she might yet reunite with the rest of The Saturdays.
“Well, we’ve had one today already!” Mollie jokes – Una is doing a photo shoot next door and couldn’t resist popping in to see her pal and the bump.
Mollie adds: “I always say: ‘Never say never’, because you just don’t know what’s around the corner.
“It was such a magical time and I loved it. But it’s difficult, because we’re all doing different things and everybody is really busy.”
Mollie might be too in-demand to get back with the band herself after being dubbed “the new Holly Willoughby”, after she recently presented This Morning alongside Craig Doyle.
“Oh, I think it’s just the blonde hair!” she laughs.
“I loved doing it. Obviously it’s been on for years, so you walk on to set and it’s like you’ve stepped into the TV.
“I had a real geeky moment where I was trying to be cool and then I heard the theme song and all I’m thinking inside is: ‘Oh my god, you’re actually doing this.’
“It was an amazing experience to have a go while Holly and Phil [Schofield] were on holiday.”
It’s not just presenting that Mollie has her eye on, though – it seems she’s coming up with ideas for new TV shows, too.
“I’ve been writing TV formats and sold some of them to production companies,” she says. “I’m loving doing it, because I’ve got such a passion for TV.
“You never know where the next chapter is going to take you. I’m somebody that can’t sit still.
“I like to throw myself into new challenges and I’m not scared of failing.
“I would rather try something and realise I’m terrible at it than not try at all.
“And there are things I’ve done and gone: ‘I’m not great at that.’
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“That’s what I want to teach my children – that you don’t have to be the most gifted, you just have to work hard and go for it.”
What are your skincare heroes?
Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair – my skin feels more relaxed after I use it.
Any make-up bag essentials?
Estée Lauder Double Wear Light and Sculpted By Aimee Connolly Cream Blush.
What do you splurge on?
Chanel Les Beiges Bronzing Cream. It’s so good for contouring.
What’s your top beauty tip?
Let your moisturiser absorb before applying foundation, or it will disappear into your skin.
Who’s your beauty icon?
Kate Moss for her winged eyeliner and Hailey Bieber for her skin.
Describe your beauty evolution
For my audition with The Saturdays, I used a concealer stick as foundation! In the band, we wore a lot of make-up and that became my security blanket. Over time, I’ve gained the confidence to think: “I can strip it back.”
