REALITY show romances aren’t always a bed of roses – with many falling apart in months.
But in rare cases, 'showmances' turn into lasting relationships – and even produce a few babies.
This week Strictly’s happiest couple, Janette Manrara and Aljaz Skorjenic, revealed they are planning to start a family.
Janette, 37, told Hello! that the trials and tribulations of 2020 have taught her that when it comes to being a mum, “there’s never going to be the perfect time but it's always going to be the right time”.
Should they hear the patter of tiny feet in the near future, the loved-up dancers – who wed in 2017 – will be joining a host of reality stars who have become parents in recent years.
From Dancing On Ice to Love Island, these are the reality romances that led to little bundles of joy.
Gorka Marquez and Gemma Atkinson – Strictly Come Dancing
Although they weren’t dance partners on the show, Gorka and Gemma waltzed into each other’s arms after the 2017 series wrapped.
Finalist Gemma – who was partnered with Aljaz in the show – gave birth to baby Mia on July 4 2019.
She claimed that she only decided she wanted to be a mum after falling for the Spanish dancer.
She told Giovanna Fletcher’s Happy Mum Happy Baby podcast: "Until I met Gorka, I couldn't picture myself with a family with anybody because the relationships that I had previously weren't stable enough for me to even consider having a child.”
The former Hollyoaks star, 36, frequently posts cute pictures of her daughter on Instagram, to the delight of her 1.6 million followers.
So will little Mia be following her talented parents on to the dancefloor?
Camilla Thurlow and Jamie Jewitt – Love Island
Camilla and Jamie found true love on the reality dating show in 2017, and have been going strong ever since.
In October, they announced the birth of their baby girl, Nell, to their 1.5m followers with a cute picture of the new arrival.
Camilla wrote: “There may be a thousand new photos on my camera roll, but none of them could ever do justice to the way you have lit up our lives.”
Jamie added a picture of himself cradling his daughter with the words: “After all of life’s ups and downs I can honestly say this morning brought on a monumental change of perspective.
“From this day forward I promise to be the very best version of myself for you and your mum and do my best to give you both everything you could possibly ask for.”
Samia Ghadie and Sylvain Longchampon – Dancing On Ice
Samia was already a mum to Freya, her 11-year-old daughter to first husband Matt Smith, when she fell for Sylvain on the set of the skating show in 2013.
Their son, Yves Joseph Longchambon, was born on 24 September 2015 and the couple wed a year later.
The soap star, 38, announced the baby’s birth on Twitter, writing: “@Slongchambon and I are so happy and in love beyond words with our beautiful boy.”
She told OK! that her daughter Freya, then six, was besotted with her little brother.
“She holds him every day when she gets in from school,” she said. “She loves him and she keeps giving my mum advice on how to handle Yves.”
Jessica Shears and Dom Lever – Love Island
After meeting in the Love Island villa in 2017, Jess and Dom tied the knot a year later.
Their new addition arrived in July 2019 – but the couple kept his gender under wraps for three months, only revealing they were having a a boy on the In the Duffle Bag podcast.
And they have remained private about some aspects of their son's life, and have never revealed his name.
Dom recently posted a cute picture of the threesome in matching PJs, with the words: “Merry Christmas from the Levers” while Jess posted a sweet picture of her son with the message: “Forever my greatest achievement.”
Beckie and Adam Ryan – Take Me Out
Adam actually chose to pair up with another contestant when he appeared on the matchmaking show in 2016, but after his date he messaged Beckie to say he’d made a mistake.
Beckie, now 32, forgave him and the couple wed in April 2017, in Surrey.
Son Indigo arrived a day after their first wedding anniversary and, initially, suffered from reflux meaning frequent hospital visits.
“It's made us completely inseparable now – Adam and I went through all that together,” Beckie told The Sun.
“Indigo is also thriving, he's above average in everything. I'm so proud of him.”
Cara De La Hoyde and Nathan Massey – Love Island
The couple found love in the villa in 2016 but it wasn't all plain sailing.
They split a year later, while Cara was pregnant with the couple’s first child, Freddie, born in summer 2018.
But the pair later reunited and went on to marry in June 2019 before welcoming their second child, Delilah, in August last year.
Nathan described Cara as his "hero" after her difficult birth.
He added: "Just want to say one thing: Us blokes could never in a million years go through what women do, so every woman that gives birth – hats off to you because I don’t think us geezers have got the pain threshold."
Ibiba Mudada and Aarron Stewart – First Dates
Less than a year after meeting on First Dates in 2016, Ibiba and Aarron returned to the show to announce they were having a baby.
The couple welcomed a little girl called Aziza on April 22, 2017.
Aaron said: “It’s true that our meeting and the speed with which we’ve started a family is certainly far from traditional.
“And it is hardly ideal to do everything so fast. But that is the nature of modern Britain. Things move at a much faster pace these days.”
Robyn and Stuart Smith – Take Me Out
Robyn had never had a serious boyfriend before she met Stuart on Take Me Out, on her 25th birthday, in 2013.
IT trainer Stu whisked her off to the legendary isle of Fernando’s and the couple wed in 2017.
Little Dylan, who Robyn describes as their “beautiful little monkey” arrived in March 2019.
In an interview with The Sun, in February, Robyn said: “He's a good baby – he sleeps, eats and loves everything. Stu's such a hands on dad.
“Take Me Out brought us together – I think it was fate to be honest.”
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