Rachel Riley reveals fast arrival of baby girl meant unexpected birth location
Countdown’s maths whizz and Russian dancer Pasha Kovalev have been together since meeting on Strictly in 2014.
Rachel Riley has given birth to her baby girl in her bathroom, two weeks after her due date.
Maven is the first child for the Countdown star, 33, and her husband, former Strictly Come Dancing professional Pasha Kovalev, 39.
The maths whizz wrote on Twitter: “Two weeks after we were expecting her this little one finally made an appearance!
“Miss Maven (one who understands) Aria (lioness) Riley Kovaleva arrived on Sunday morning, weighing in at 7lbs 4.
“After keeping us waiting she came so fast we didn’t get to hospital and was born in our bathroom with our amazing doula and wonderful St Mary’s midwives rushing over to be with us just in time!
“She’s absolutely perfect and Pasha and I are in newborn bliss. Couldn’t be more in love.”
Riley and Kovalev met on Strictly in 2013, and married in a Las Vegas ceremony earlier this year.
The Countdown star announced in May that she was expecting a baby.
She posted a picture on Instagram cradling a baby bump on the set of the Channel 4 game show, with the letters on the board spelling out “R TINY MATE”.
She wrote: “Pash and I have a conundrum for you… you have till December to work it out!”
Riley started dating Kovalev after splitting from her husband and fellow Oxford University student Jamie Gilbert in 2013.
Earlier this year Kovalev announced he was leaving Strictly after eight years on the show.
Gemma Atkinson and Gorka Marquez became parents in the summer after meeting on Strictly Come Dancing in 2017.
Atkinson was partnered with Aljaz Skorjanec and Marquez with Alexandra Burke.
