
Samantha Barks pregnant with second child as she debuts bump in royal show
Samantha Barks has announced she's about to become a mother for the second time. At 34, the West End star - who won The Masked Singer earlier this year - is expecting her second child with Alex Michael Stoll.
The pair are doting parents to their 19-month-old son, Rafael, but Samantha confirmed that another little one is on the horizon as she geared up to perform at the VE Day 80: A Celebration To Remember event.
"I'm nearly nine months pregnant, it's gonna be me and baby performing for royalty tonight. It's our first adventure!" she said. Samantha also acknowledged her previous royal engagements as she readied to belt out the wartime anthem We'll Meet Again.
She said: "It's my fourth time, actually. It never gets less nerve-wracking, it's always such an honour but I'm nervous! We have a choir, we have dancers, it's gonna be a really big finish and I'm super proud of it."
She reflected on the unifying force of music particularly for the concert's tribute, as she shared: "Music brings us all together, it still does, even tonight, it brings us back to those days - the power of music.
"A song like We'll Meet Again, it's so poignant and beautiful and I'm really looking forward to it."
Samantha initially stole hearts when she competed in BBC's I'd Do Anything in 2008, where she vied for the role of Nancy in Oliver and came third, just behind Jessie Buckley and Coronation Street star Jodie Prenger.
Not long after, she took on the role of Eponine in the London production of Les Miserables, and later reprised the role in the 2012 film adaptation, sharing the screen with big names like Hugh Jackman, Amanda Seyfried and Eddie Redmayne.
From 2021 to 2024, she graced the West End stage as Elsa in the production of Frozen and also lent her expertise as a judge on ITV's Mamma Mia! I Have A Dream, joining fellow judges Alan Carr, Amber Riley and Jessie Ware.
Speaking about returning to her role in Frozen, she said last year: "With most parts I've played, there has been an expectation because the character is known in some way. I choose to not take that on. I want to do a good job and I want people to enjoy it, but it's not really a helpful emotion to take on in terms of thinking about what people might expect.
"Every other part I've played has a love interest, and that has been like the main focus. This is not that at all… Elsa is a really complex part. And she's so isolated, so that's very interesting. It's a lot of 'conceal and don't feel' until she has that moment of self-acceptance and self-love.'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Scottish Sun
24 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Love Island fans in a frenzy as iconic Meet The Family segment RETURNS
it's back! Love Island fans in a frenzy as iconic Meet The Family segment RETURNS as Toni's mum makes her entrance Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) LOVE Island fans have been sent into a frenzy as a fan-favourite feature makes its long-awaited comeback. ITV has confirmed the return of the very popular Meet The Family segment, set to air in the lead-up to the final. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 1 Love Island's Meet The Family segment is returning The fan-favourite, which sees Islanders reunited with their family members and friends inside the villa, has long been a staple of the series. It often delivers emotional reunions and candid exchanges, with some families raising concerns or giving their blessing to the couples ahead of the show's conclusion. This year's family visits are expected to air in the final week of the series.


The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Love Island fans in a frenzy as iconic Meet The Family segment RETURNS
LOVE Island fans have been sent into a frenzy as a fan-favourite feature makes its long-awaited comeback. ITV has confirmed the return of the very popular Meet The Family segment, set to air in the lead-up to the final. 1 The fan-favourite, which sees Islanders reunited with their family members and friends inside the villa, has long been a staple of the series. It often delivers emotional reunions and candid exchanges, with some families raising concerns or giving their blessing to the couples ahead of the show's conclusion. This year's family visits are expected to air in the final week of the series.


Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
Iconic British film starring Keira Knightley confirmed for a sequel after 23 years
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) BEND It Like Beckham has been confirmed for a sequel, more than two decades after it was released. Director Gurinder Chadha revealed she is developing a follow-up to the 2002 hit film, which launched the careers of Keira Knightley and Parminder Nagra. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 4 Bend It Like Beckham has been confirmed for a sequel, more than two decades after it was released Credit: Kobal Collection - Shutterstock The sequel is being lined up for release in 2027 to mark the film's 25th anniversary and coincide with the FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil. Gurinder told the BBC: "We've been part of changing the game for women, so it felt like this was a good time for me to go back and investigate the characters." The director said she has been asked 'almost twice a week' since the original came out to create a sequel, though no decision has been made on whether it will take the form of a film or a television series. She added: 'A lot has changed since the original movie, but I think that people still don't think that women should play football. "There are people who still don't take it seriously, although the Lionesses are riding high. I've left it a while, but I thought: 'Look at the Euros, look at the Lionesses.'" Gurinder said she hopes to reunite the original cast and suggested members of the current England squad would be 'queuing up' to appear in cameo roles. The original film, made on a £3.5 million budget, became a box office success, earning nearly £60 million worldwide. It followed Jess Bhamra (Parminder), a teenager who dreams of playing football professionally, despite pressure from her traditional Sikh family to focus on education and marriage. She is recruited by Jules (Keira), who spots her talent and brings her into the local women's team. Chadha claimed she had not expected the film to take off, but wanted to 'uplift girls who were always being told how to dress and what to say'. Keira Knightley admits she's only watched Love Actually once - and reveals real reason why She said: 'What I did was say you can do what you want, and you can have it all,' she said. 'And I think that's a really great message to put out again. I think there's still stuff to say, and stuff to challenge.' Gurinder previously told The Mirror she had been working on a sequel to iconic movie The filmmaker said in 2023: "For the longest time I never wanted to do a sequel. "But I have to say, after the World Up this year, and also with the Euro's a few years ago, my brain is ticking again and I have an idea in my head that I'm thinking through for the first time. "I'm thinking that I could definitely do something. I never wanted to follow the girls off in America, because I felt that what I had created was so magical for that moment in time. "It's very hard with sequels - there are very few sequels that I think really hit the mark after the success of the first film. "However, I do have an idea and I am starting to work on it, so I think I will definitely do something that shows how brilliant our athletes are right now." The film highlighted the challenges girls face despite women's football growing in popularity since the film was released in 2002. Gurinder was inspired to create the film after seeing a photograph of legendary England and Arsenal striker Ian Wright dressed in a union jack flag. This made her think about what Britishness actually meant and the "evolving concept of Britishness." Football is important to Britain and the sport has the power to pull many different people together. Gary Lineker, who featured in the film, reflected on it saying how "football does unify the nation, everyone gets behind England and it's probably the only time we do all come together. That's what originated the idea of Bend It Like Beckham." There are plenty of fun facts about the film besides Wright being the inspiration. The budget may have been just £3.5 million but it grossed at nearly £60 million. Chada didn't know much about football and relied on co-writers to add the football bits. It was even the first Western filmed to be screened in North Korea at a public broadcast during a film festival in the country. Actresses Nagra and Kiera did three months worth of football training for the film and didn't use any doubles. The title itself is a metaphor as Chada explained back in 2003. She said: "We can see our goal but instead of going straight there, we too have to twist and bend the rules sometimes to get what we want. "No matter where we reside, no matter what group we claim or do not embrace as part of our ethnic lineage." 4 Director Gurinder Chadha revealed she is developing a follow-up to the 2002 hit film Credit: AFP 4 The original film earned nearly £60 million worldwide Credit: Rex