She shot to fame in the late 00s with The Saturdays and since the girl group went on hiatus in 2014, Mollie King’s career and personal life has been going from strength to strength. Last year she got engaged to her cricketer boyfriend of over three years, Stuart Broad, whilst 2022 saw her as the host of the UK reboot of Beauty and the Geek with her radio show co-host Matt Edmundson and a new solo radio show, all while being pregnant with her first child. Grazia caught up with Mollie to talk all about her busiest year yet…
You’ve got so much going on at the moment with Beauty and the Geek, your new Radio show Future Popand of course the pregnancy. How has it been balancing everything?
It’s been a really exciting year where everything has sort of happened at once. It’s been amazing, but there’s been a lot of juggling. I started shooting Beauty and the Geek in early March and by that point I knew I was a few weeks pregnant. Not only had I landed my dream TV show, but I also had the excitement of knowing that I was becoming a mum. It just felt like I was the luckiest girl ever, but I did have a lot to learn in those first few months.
Did you have any morning sickness during filming?
I don’t know why it’s called morning sickness when it lasts all day! I definitely had that but, eating little and often throughout the day really helped manage my symptoms and having a busy filming schedule kept me distracted. I was a lot more tired than normal, but I became an expert napper.
Are we likely to see a second series of Beauty and the Geek?
I would love that. We don’t know anything yet because the show has only really just started airing, but fingers crossed.
Obviously with filming, if you start feeling ill you can cut for a bit, but what has it been like doing live radio shows?
The whole team has been incredibly supportive and other than me running to get snacks from the canteen and accidentally knocking over the mic with my belly a couple of times, everything has gone pretty smoothly.
And Jamie Laing will be covering for you whilst you head off on maternity leave. Did you get any say in him being your replacement?
I did actually, which really surprised me. I’ve hosted the Made in Chelsea wrap party a few times, so I know Jamie pretty well and he’s always a lot of fun. The minute that Matt and the producers mentioned him, I knew that he would be perfect.
Are you planning to have a long maternity leave?
Stuart [Broad, Mollie’s fiancé] and I are both taking a few months off so that we can spend some time with the baby and be in our own little bubble. I’m lucky that my job means that I can gradually ease myself back into work because it’s not like I have to commit to anything 9-5.
Are you telling people the due date?
My due date is 2 November, but obviously these things can be a bit of a guess. The midwives told us that the baby can come up to two weeks before which means that I could really give birth any day now! Any time I feel any kind of cramp or pain I think it’s a contraction.
What was the moment like when you found out that you were pregnant?
Stuart and I were both at home together and it was just so exciting and quite emotional. Stuart’s such a family man and I’ve wanted children since I was a little girl. Both of my older sisters have sons and I adore being an aunt but I’m ready to have some of my own now.
Will you be adding to the brood with a little boy as well?
It feels weird to be saying this because we’ve only just told the family, but we’re actually having a little girl!
Congratulations!
Thank you! Having got five nephews, we were convinced we were going to be having a little boy as well, but we’re over the moon to find out it’s a little girl. We would have been happy either way obviously and I just want her to grow up knowing that she can be exactly who she wants to be. I want her to know that the things that she goes to bed dreaming of can come true.
How’s the nursery prep going now that you know it’s a little girl?
We’re actually keeping the nursery pretty neutral, but the walls have finally been painted. I’m addicted to property shows so I really feel like I’m in my element converting the study into a nursery. I’ve really left it to the last minute though, haven’t I? Luckily Stuart is very calm, and fingers crossed it will all be done soon.
Have you been clothes shopping for her?
To be honest, we haven’t really because I’m such an overthinker than I don’t want to jinx anything until she’s here. We have bought a hat for her to wear out of the hospital though. When my sister told me I thought it was just a hilarious style thing but it’s actually because newborns lose so much heat through their heads after being in the womb for so long.
How have you been coping with your changing body?
This might sound a bit cheesy, but I really do have a newfound respect for it. I mean it’s growing a human being! Seeing myself grow over the past few months has actually been really emotional and I’ve loved every single minute. I think I’ll really miss the connection that I’ve formed with her. I usually have quite an athletic build, but I’ve learnt to embrace my new curvier shape.
It sounds like you’ve had a really positive pregnancy. Is there anything that you’ve found difficult beside the morning- or should we call it day- sickness?
I’m quite an anxious person so I think at first, I put a lot of pressure on myself to eat and do all the right things. I wish I could have been a bit more laidback, but I’ve tried not to let my worries cloud my excitement. Stuart is really good at sorting me out when I get all in my head and overthink.
Speaking of food, have you had any strange pregnancy cravings?
Nothing really strange, but in the first trimester I couldn’t get enough of apples. Now I really like ice cream whereas before I could take it or leave it. I lost my love of spicy food and coffee in the first trimester but luckily, it’s starting to come back now. Stuart nearly fell over when I suggested that we order an Indian the other day.
How do you think Stuart and you will balance each other as parents?
We have very similar views on family and always talked about our plans for the future, even when we hadn’t been together very long. Stuart is just so incredibly caring - I can see it in how he looks after my dog Alfie and me - I think he’ll be an incredible dad. He’s very prepared and organised unlike me, so I’ll think we’ll balance each other well. He suggested that we batch-made and freeze some dinners for when she gets here because we won’t have time to cook, and it was just something I hadn’t even thought of. He’s going to be an amazing dad.
You’re one of the last of The Saturdays to become a mum. Have the girls been giving you advice?
They’ve really been helping me through my pregnancy. Frankie [Bridge] was one of the first people I told, and she was just so excited. I think she screamed! They’re all such brilliant mums and were some of my first friends to become mothers, so they taught me all the basic things about how to hold a baby and how to change a nappy.
What about wedding plans, have they been put on hold?
I’ve been planning my wedding since I was seven years old so it’s always in the back of my mind! At the moment, our priority is the baby but we’re hoping to get a date in for next year. I want more than anything to be married to Stuart.
Was the engagement a surprise or did you know it was coming?
I had no idea. I like to think of myself as a bit of a Cupid who can sense these things, but I completely didn’t see it coming. We were driving to Richmond for what I thought was a New Year’s Day dog walk and then he asked me to marry him, right on the top of Richmond Hill with the incredible view. It felt like a moment out of a movie, and it was so sweet for Stuart to remember that that place holds such special memories for me. When my parents were together, my sisters and I used to fly our kites there as a family.
It sounds like you’re just having the most incredible year and you absolutely deserve it. Just one final question… Will The Saturdays ever get back together?
Haha never say never! Maybe not at the moment because we’re all so busy with families and work, but being in the band was just the most amazing time in my life. People often say that when your dreams come true, they’re never as good as you think they will be, but for me it was.