Sheridan Smith was “terrified” of giving birth amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sheridan Smith
The 39-year-old actress welcomed her son Billy into the world eight months ago, and has said she was nervous about giving birth, because Billy arrived during the middle of the UK’s first lockdown, and Sheridan – who has her son with her fiancé Jamie Horn – thought she would be “left alone with no help”.
She said: “When I had him it was a bit scary, because for the first eight weeks we were in the first lockdown and nothing at all was open. He was premature, and we were a bit terrified, the two of us, at being left alone with no help.
“But you have Zoom things and the midwives check in on you. And now he’s thriving. He’s eight months and a real little bruiser.”
Lockdown also means Billy hasn’t been able to meet any of his other family members, although Sheridan’s mother was able to visit during the UK’s brief period of relaxed rules over the summer.
But the ‘Cilla’ star is thankful for the time alone with her son and her partner, as it means they’ve been able to “bond as a little family”.
She added: “When we had support bubbles, my mum was able to meet him eventually. She’s back up North now, and he’s growing all the time, but in some ways it’s been nice for me, Jamie and Billy to bond as a little family. And in a way it takes your mind off of everything when you’ve got this little man to focus on.”
Sheridan and her family currently live on a farm, and the ‘Cleaning Up’ actress has insisted she loves life amongst the animals, and hopes Billy will too when he’s old enough to appreciate it.
Speaking to The Sunday Mirror newspaper’s Notebook magazine, she said: “I’m a country bumpkin now. It’s a different world out here. There’s nobody around. I’m looking out the window now and I can see my donkeys! It’s mad, but I love it.
“When I was a little girl I was animal mad, and I just wanted to grow up with them around me. But I wasn’t allowed any, as my mum and dad were working class, gigging seven nights a week as a country and western duo to bring us kids up. So I want to give Billy what my dreams were. He’s only eight months, so he doesn’t bat an eyelid to all the dogs and donkeys, but hopefully as he gets older he’ll appreciate it.”
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