INBETWEENERS star Emily Atack is “over the moon” as she looks forward to becoming a mum in the new year.
The actress and comedian, 34, is five months pregnant and expecting her first child in April.
She and her boyfriend Dr Alistair Garner recently set up home together to prepare for their baby’s arrival.
A pal said: “Emily is delighted by the happy news and has been pleased to tell family and close friends about her little one on the way.
“It’s the perfect end to her year and she feels over the moon.
“Emily is more than ready to be a mum and it is something she has dreamed of her whole life.
“Her relationship with Alistair has gone from strength to strength and they’ve moved into together.
“Family is everything to her — she comes from a big one herself and is really close to all her siblings — so she can’t wait to start one of her own.
“They’ve all rallied around her and delighted in the joyous occasion.
The pal said Emily’s actress mum Kate Robbins “can’t wait to be a grandma”.
Kate, 65 — who recently appeared in the Channel 4 drama The Couple Next Door — is related to Sir Paul McCartney.
Emily’s father, Keith, is a musician, who used to be in the 1970s pop band Child.
The friend added: “Emily has been taking some time to herself and been quieter than normal on social media and focusing on her well-being and enjoying this special and magical time.
“She’s excited about next year and starting a new chapter in her life.”
Alistair describes himself on his Linkedin as a materials scientist and electron microscopist specialising in nuclear and aerospace applications.
Emily had been single since splitting from former Big Brother contestant Liam McGough, 39, last year.
She had been linked to several high-profile men including Harry Styles, Jack Grealish
Emily decided to take some time off social mediaaround the time of her birthday on December 18.
She wrote on Instagram then: “Thanks for the birthday love yesterday everybody. I’ve been quiet on here recently and focusing on actual real life, working hard and having some time away from social after a helluva year.
“But I’ll be back properly soon. Hope you are all living your best hungover lives and getting ready for the family rows and deflated wobbly blow up beds.”
Emily became an overnight sensation and a poster girl for teenage boys when she played Charlotte Hinchcliffe in The Inbetweeners from 2008 to 2010.
She was a runner up on I’m A Celebrity in 2018.
Since 2020, The Emily Atack Show — written and created by Emily — has run for three seasons on ITV2.
It was put on hold last year due to conflicting schedules with her Disney+ series Rivals.
In September, Emily was a guest at The Sun’s Who Cares Wins Awards in September.
She was pictured with the Caroline Flack Mental Health Hero prize winner Amandip Sidhu, who set up charity Doctors in Distress.
Emily has recently moved and signed to Curtis Brown where her younger sister Martha is now her direct agent, after they both left YMU.
She is in talks with major mainstream brands about commercial deals for 2024 and has signed a movie deal with Archery Pictures.
Earlier this year, Emily bravely opened up in a BBC2 documentary Called Asking For It? about being a victim of cyberflashing.
She revealed she is bombarded with seedy sex pictures and abuse from strangers every day online and threats to rape and kill her.
She has also met politicians including Sir Keir Starmer to try to teach youngsters about the impacts of violence against women and girls.
Her campaigning has since led to cyberflashing becoming a criminal offence, with perpetrators facing up to two years in prison.
