Martine McCutcheon reveals she was 'told I would never be able to have children' as she talks about becoming a mother to son Rafferty, 9

Martine McCutcheon has revealed she was 'told I would never be able to have children' as she opened up about becoming a mother to her son Rafferty.

The Love Actually star, 48, welcomed her little boy, nine, with estranged husband Jack McManus, also 48, in 2015. 

Martine said holding Rafferty for the first time 'topped everything' she had ever done in her career or life before that moment. 

The actress explained how she 'always felt like being a mother would be the making of her' and after meeting her bundle of joy for the first time she felt 'no love like it'.

Speaking on the The Showercast podcast, Martine said: 'The thing that topped everything was holding my son for the first time. I was told I would never be able to have children and I always felt like being a mother would be the making of me. 

'I knew I would be able to teach him all the things I wish I'd known. When I held him there was no love like it, so unconditional. 

'It made me realise that by just being who I was, I was always enough and lovable. I didn't have to be all those things that I thought I had to be.' 

Elsewhere during the podcast, Martine said she now doesn't 'worry about saying no' as the 'wrong things will just fall away'.

She said: 'Do it at your pace, don't be worried to say no and the right things will stay and the wrong things will fall away. 

'Sometimes were so busy distracting ourselves that we miss the key opportunities. 

'Don't let the most important moments of your life go because you are running so fast you don't see them. Take the time to stop and breath and check in with yourself. 

'It can completely change your life and it has been a game changer for me.' 

It comes after Martine revealed husband Jack had left her after 18 years together- days after she wrote a heartfelt birthday tribute for him in August.

Discussing her struggles in the wake of the split, Martine admitted anxiety made her a 'recluse'.

She recalled she was feeling as if she was 'losing her mind' as she was overcome by 'huge fear' while dealing with perimenopause symptoms. 

Speaking in an interview with BBC Radio 4's Woman’s Hour, Martine revealed: 'I didn’t want to answer my phone. 

'I didn’t want to answer the front door, go outside and I would panic out of nowhere and have to pull over when I was driving because I felt this huge fear and couldn’t breathe.

'I genuinely felt I was losing my mind. I didn’t know if I really was or if it was something that was perimenopausal.'

She added: 'It would just come on out of nowhere and when I spoke to my specialist about it she said, "You know this is sadly the case for many women".'

Announcing their split, she wrote in a statement: 'After much thought and consideration, Jack has decided it's best for us to separate after 18 years together and I accept his decision.'

'We are both so very blessed and grateful for our beautiful, 9 year old son Rafferty, who's happiness and welfare, has always been, and will continue to be, our number 1 priority.'

She continued: 'We both of course, still cherish and look forward to being parents together to our wonderful boy for the rest of our lives...

'Whilst this decision has evolved over a period of time, we are still finding our new way forward as a family and kindly ask for some privacy at this time... Especially for our little boy.

'Our love for Rafferty, is something that will never, waver, or change and we obviously want to protect him and help him feel as safe and secure as possible.

'Many thanks in advance for your respect and support, at this difficult time...And I continue to send Jack, all the love, luck and happiness for the next chapter of his. 

'Rafferty and I (as always,) are rooting for you!

'Thank you all, for the love and support, now and always...Martine.xx.'

Speaking exclusively to MailOnline at the time of Martine's statement, Jack had said: 'There is nothing more to add. I will not be saying anything more about this.'

The couple married in 2012 in Italy's picturesque Lake Como, five years after they started dating.