Samantha Barks has welcomed her first child (Picture: Instagram/Samantha Barks)
Samantha Barks has given birth to her first child just a few days before the launch of her new reality series, Mamma Mia! I Have A Dream.
Back in August the performer, best known as playing Eponine in both the stage show and movie adaptation of Les Miserables, as well as Elsa in the West End production of Disney’s Frozen, announced she was expecting her first child with husband Alex Stoll.
The 32-year-old shared the news by revealing a board with the due date on nestled inside a white basket, with a fluffy sheep toy and tiny socks next to it.
‘We have been keeping a tiny secret,’ she wrote.
A short video was also shared by the couple, with each family member lifting their hands – and paws – off the pile to reveal an ultrasound picture.
Now Samantha has announced the arrival of her son, sharing a black and white photo holding his hand.
She shared this photo while also announcing his name (Picture: Samantha Barks/ Instagram)
‘Welcome Rafael Richard Barks-Stoll, born on 16th October. My heart could burst with happiness,’ she wrote.
The exciting addition to her family comes just a few days before the launch of the brand new reality talent series Mamma Mia! I Have a Dream, in which she serves as one of four judges.
Presented by Zoe Ball, Mamma Mia! I Have a Dream will be judged by Samantha, Alan Carr, Jessie Ware and Amber Riley and will see them search for two stars to play the lead roles of Sophie and Sky in the musical in London.
Audiences will see the contestants mentored by guest industry stars through unique workshops and judged by a panel of well-known industry experts in both music and theatre.
Samantha is one of the judges for the new reality talent show, Mamma Mia! I Have a Dream (Picture: PA)
Most of the series has already been recorded in Greece, but will culminate in a live grand finale in London.
Samantha and Alex met in 2018 while performing in the Chicago and Broadway productions of Pretty Woman, in which she played the lead role of Vivian.
The pair got engaged in 2021 and although they keep fairly private, revealed that Alex had proposed on a countryside walk in the snow.
They wed in 2022 in Tuscany, with Samantha sharing photos of the day in celebration of their one-year anniversary earlier this year.
Mamma Mia! I Have a Dream launches on Sunday October 22 at 6pm on ITV1.
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