Hollyoaks star Jeremy Edwards and his wife Lydia welcome son

Hollyoaks star Jeremy Edwards and his wife Lydia have welcomed their second child, a son called Theodore Huckleberry following an IVF journey. 

In December, the couple announced they were expecting their second child following a ‘stressful’ two and a half year journey to get pregnant. 

The couple, aged 50 and 36 respectively, are already parents to daughter, Scarlett, three, and have introduced their son to the world in the latest issue of OK!  but insisted they would not be having anymore children.  

Jeremy and Lydia could not contain their glee as they confirmed the news. 

Speaking about the birth, Jeremy and Lydia revealed Theodore was five days early and was born via C-section which was not their original choice. 

Lydia said: ‘I really wanted a natural labour but the choice was taken away. So I had to get over that but it was actually a lovely peaceful birth’.

Jeremy said: ‘Yes, even though it wasn’t what we would have chosen it worked out for the best. It went smoothly and was the safest option. It wasn’t worth the risk’.  

Prior to the arrival, Jeremy said: ‘We’re incredibly excited but the main feeling has been relief. Scarlett was conceived through IVF and so was this baby. We feel very blessed, as the process is actually really tough on Lyds.’ 

Lydia added at the time: ‘It’s been very stressful, but we feel so lucky that it worked both times for us on the first attempt.’ 

The couple have been married since 2009 and Jeremy said their planned IVF was delayed at first due to coronavirus. 

They were given a window of opportunity by the clinic in June, when lockdown ended, and they were offered an appointment.    

Lydia said the process is very tough and she has worked out she has had around 340 injections. 

Jeremy admitted they both cried when they got the happy news, saying: ‘There are no guarantees with IVF.’

‘Poor Lyds injects all these hormones into her body and goes on this invasive journey. But there are no guarantees – and that is a hard thing to go through.’

The couple have said this is probably the last child for them, with Jeremy joking that he is not paying for another round of IVF – but they might try to get pregnant naturally.  

The news comes three months after Jeremy returned to Hollyoaks as Kurt Benson. 

The actor made a dramatic return on his signature motorbike to the village after leaving the soap 21 years ago in 1999.  

Kurt starred in the 25th anniversary trailer, leaving his friend Tony Hutchinson, Nick Pickard, reeling in shock after believing he had died in a jet ski accident.

Kurt appeared in the first episode of the Channel 4 show in 1995 where he arrived on a motorbike and went onto play an iconic role in the soap.

The X Factor: Celebrity star featured in many storylines in the soap including a turbulent love life as well as a toxic rivalry with notorious villain Rob Hawthorne, Warren Derosa. 

The character was accused of attempted murder for pushing Spike, Tom Vaughan, from scaffolding, but went on to marry his teenage love Ruth Osborne, played by Terri Dwyer.   

However he went on to have an affair with Katie Patrick, Natasha Symms, which forced Kurt and Ruth to separate and he left the soap on a motorbike in 1999.    

Yet tragedy struck when the rockstar-hopeful was said to have died in a jet ski accident leaving his best friend Tony distraught. 

Jeremy last appeared in the soap in Hollyoaks Later in 2013 where he was a vision in Tony’s mind seen protecting his son Harry Thompson, Parry Glasspool, from danger.   

In October 2019, Jeremy competed on the ITV series The X Factor: Celebrity as part of a duo with Brendan Cole but was eliminated in the auditions stage.

He is also known for finishing fourth in the third series of Celebrity Big Brother and his role as Danny Shaughessy, a student nurse in Holby City. 

Jeremy was engaged to Rachel Stevens of S Club 7 in 2002 before breaking up the year after and eventually meeting his now wife Lydia.