Emmerdale actress Lucy Pargeter reveals gender of twins

Congratulations are in order for Emmerdale actress Lucy Pargeter, who, after announcing that she and parntner Rudi Coleano are expecting twins back in November, has now revealed the gender of her little ones!

Speaking to OK! magazine, Lucy and Rudi revealed that they're expecting baby girls when the soap star gives birth in April.

Following a baby scan on 19th December, the actress and her fiancé discovered the exciting news after months of trying to get pregnant.

'We found out at the five-month scan just before Christmas, and we're just over the moon that they're both healthy – it was the best Christmas present!'

Lucy, who is now 23 weeks pregnant, also explained details of the upcoming birth - and it sounds as though she's hoping to avoid a natural delivery.

'We've talked about a C-section and a natural birth. With twins, you often have one naturally and one can end up being a C-section.

'The recovery time with a C-section is difficult afterwards, but a natural birth can be horrendous, too, so I'll see how it goes,' she said.

The happy news comes 11 years after Lucy and her football coach fiancé Rudi welcomed their first child, daughter Lola.

The 39-year-old, who plays Chastity Dingle in the ITV soap, will welcome the babies in the spring, and has revealed through her spokesperson how delighted the couple are to be adding to their brood after going through an unsuccessful round of IVF in 2015.

A spokeswoman said: 'Lucy Pargeter and her partner Rudi Coleano are delighted to announce they are expecting twins spring 2017.

'They will be long-awaited siblings for their daughter, Lola.'

Lucy has been famous for her long-standing role as feisty Chastity Dingle since her first appearance on the soap in 2002, and went on to finish third on I'm A Celebrity in 2013.

In 2007, when daughter Lola was two, the family went through a worrying time when doctors said there could be something seriously wrong with the toddler after discovering that she had an enlarged spleen and blood problems.

Speaking to Mirror, Lucy revealed it was this health scare that forced her to put the thought of more children on the back burner.

'We want to get to the bottom of it before I even think about having other children. Before I had a baby I thought I'd have loads. I used to look after my nephews a lot, but it's only when you have a baby that you realise it's a full-time job,' she said.

Nottingham-born Lucy proposed to Rudi just two weeks after meeting him, but the couple put their wedding on hold when the star found out she was pregnant with Lola. Rudi has since proposed to Lucy with a second ring, after secretly taking back the first to be re-sized.

Lucy said: 'I was going mad thinking I'd lost it. But it was a really romantic thing to do.

'I've still got my wedding file from last time. I had a lot of it planned, the dress, the cake.

'Rudi is desperate to get on with it but there just aren't enough hours in the day.'

Read the full story in this week's OK! Magazine - out today