Pregnant Corrie star Victoria Ekanoye and boyfriend Jonny Lomas reveal they’re expecting a boy

She revealed last month that she is expecting her first child with her boyfriend Jonny Lomas.

And former Coronation Street star Victoria Ekanoye was glowing on Sunday as she posed for sweet snaps with Jonny after announcing they were expecting a baby boy. 

The actress, 37, slipped into a form-fitting grey dress for the celebratory snaps, as she proudly cradled her burgeoning bump.

Mum-to-be: Former Coronation Street star Victoria Ekanoye was glowing on Sunday as she posed for snaps after announcing she’s expecting a baby boy

Victoria, who played Angie Appleton in the ITV soap, teamed her chic, off-the-shoulder dress with a pair of black ankle boots.

She highlighted her natural beauty by wearing minimal make-up for the shoot, while she styled her braids into a high ponytail. 

Meanwhile, father-to-be Jonny kept things casual in a maroon jumper, pale trousers  and black ans white trainers. 

The happy couple looked over the moon as they posed in love up snaps on a garden swing chair amid their exciting baby news.

Happy couple: The actress, 37, slipped into a form-fitting grey dress for the celebratory snaps with boyfriend Jonny Lomas, as she proudly cradled her burgeoning bump

Happy couple: The actress, 37, slipped into a form-fitting grey dress for the celebratory snaps with boyfriend Jonny Lomas, as she proudly cradled her burgeoning bump

It comes as Victoria, who is due to give birth in January,recently quipped that she became pregnant during lockdown as there was ‘nothing else to do’.

The former X Factor: Celebrity star is eagerly awaiting the birth of her first child and said it is ‘going to be an amazing start’ to the new year.

Speaking to The Sun, she candidly explained: ‘A lockdown baby, what else were we to do? We’re due in January so it’s going to be an amazing start to 2021.’ 

She first announced her happy news in Hello! magazine at the beginning of November – when she was already six months pregnant.

Maternity style: Victoria, who played Angie Appleton in the ITV soap, teamed her chic, off-the-shoulder dress with a pair of black ankle boots

Maternity style: Victoria, who played Angie Appleton in the ITV soap, teamed her chic, off-the-shoulder dress with a pair of black ankle boots

Delighted: The happy couple looked over the moon as they posed in love up snaps on a garden swing chair amid their exciting baby news

Delighted: The happy couple looked over the moon as they posed in love up snaps on a garden swing chair amid their exciting baby news

The actress said she and her boyfriend Jonny decided to delay revealing their baby news, partly due to her suffering with sickle cell anaemia.

The couple, who celebrated their four-year anniversary in October, admitted that the pregnancy came as a ‘surprise’ as they had planned to start trying for a baby in 2021.

Victoria told the publication: ‘We thought we would try next year. So when this pregnancy came along we were like: “It’s happening”. 

‘It did come as a bit of a surprise but it’s so unbelievably exciting.’

Pregnancy: Victoria, who is due to give birth to her first child in January, recently quipped that she became pregnant during lockdown as there was 'nothing else to do'

Pregnancy: Victoria, who is due to give birth to her first child in January, recently quipped that she became pregnant during lockdown as there was ‘nothing else to do’

Despite being thrilled at the prospect of becoming parents, Victoria said there were a few reasons they decided to wait to tell their nearest and dearest the big news.

She explained: ‘We know friends that have miscarried and so we waited until we were 12 weeks before we even told our parents. 

‘Then, with my health condition, we wanted a little bit more security and stability in knowing that everything is okay with baby and with me.’

Victoria was first diagnosed with sickle cell anaemia when she was just 22 years old and has dealt with the chronic illness ever since.

Surprise: Victoria, who played Angie Appleton in the ITV soap, has kept her first pregnancy extremely private, only announcing her happy news at the start of November

Surprise: Victoria, who played Angie Appleton in the ITV soap, has kept her first pregnancy extremely private, only announcing her happy news at the start of November

Sickle cell disease is when faulty stem cells produce red blood cells that are crescent shaped, leading to blockages that deprive parts of the body of oxygen. 

She added: ‘Chronic illness in general is not easy to live with but to have that during Covid-19 and to be pregnant was a lot.’

The star added that because of her illness she is regarded as a ‘high-risk’ pregnancy and praised the ‘amazing’ health professionals at St Mary’s Hospital in Manchester who’ve looked after her. 

Victoria and Jonny have opted to have a hospital birth, with the TV star expected to be induced around 39 weeks, as she will have to have a blood transfusion straight after the birth.

New chapter: The couple, who celebrated their four-year anniversary in October, admitted that the pregnancy came as a 'surprise' as they had planned to start trying for a baby in 2021

New chapter: The couple, who celebrated their four-year anniversary in October, admitted that the pregnancy came as a ‘surprise’ as they had planned to start trying for a baby in 2021