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Rhian Sugden has admitted that her marriage to husband Oliver Mellor has come under strain since they became parents to their miracle baby.
The glamour model, 40, and actor Oliver, 45, welcomed son George in April 2024 after a challenging six-year journey which involved eight rounds of IVF and £150,000.
And while their difficult fertility struggle brought them closer at the time, Rhian has confessed that the reality of parenthood has seen them now become 'strangers' as she discussed finding things 'hard'.
Speaking on the Private Parts podcast, Rhian opened up about the dramatic shift in their relationship which has seen them struggle to get some alone time now they have a child in their lives.
She shared: 'The IVF itself made us stronger because we'd had to back each other up. I felt guilty that I wasn't gonna make him a dad because he's like the best dad
'So I had all that guilt of, oh god, I'm not gonna be able to fulfill his dream, my dream. So, he was very good in that respect.'
Rhian Sugden has admitted that her marriage to husband Oliver Mellor has come under strain since they became parents to their miracle baby
The glamour model, 40, and actor Oliver, 45, welcomed son George in April 2024 after a challenging six-year journey which involved eight rounds of IVF and £150,000
On how things have changed, she continued: 'The thing that's changed our marriage is having the actual child.
'Like, we're like strangers at the minute. It's hard. Even when we go on holiday, we're not really getting much time alone.'
Detailing their sleeping arrangements, she added: 'George just didn't sleep as a baby, and I was like, I can't do this. Just get him in bed. So we've just bought him a double bed and now I'm in George's bedroom.'
Rhian and former Coronation Street star Oliver began dating in 2013, before tying the knot five years later in Turkey.
The pair have opened up about their struggle to become parents in the past.
Speaking to Hello magazine in 2023 amid the announcement of their pregnancy with George, she admitted there were times they feared they would never be able to get pregnant.
Rhian had difficulty getting pregnant due to her low egg count and perimenopausal hormone levels and was given just a three per cent chance of conceiving naturally.
The couple turned to IVF and went through eight rounds over the course of six years, costing hundreds of thousands.
But just before they gave up, they gave the treatment one last time and took a pregnancy test nine days in – where she was greeted with the incredible news.
Oliver said of the news: 'I was woken up by her calling out, 'Oh my God, I'm pregnant!' When I opened my eyes, I could see her holding up the stick from the test and smiling at me.
'I'll never forget the expression of sheer joy on her face, or the happiness and relief I felt inside.'
While their difficult fertility struggle brought them closer at the time, Rhian has confessed that the reality of parenthood has seen them now become 'strangers' [pictured in 2019]
Last month Oliver paid tribute to Rhian, as he marked her 40th birthday.
Oliver shared a sweet post featuring snaps from Rhian's birthday weekend away at Parr Green Hall in Cheshire.
Oliver captioned the post: 'Happy birthday to the light of our lives. Thank you for being a beautiful person and a perfect Mummy.
'You brought us all together to create unforgettable memories and we love you forever.'
Rhian meanwhile stripped down to her birthday suit as she celebrated turning 40.
The glamour model left little to the imagination in her Instagram snap, as she posed with her arm strategically placed to protect her modesty.
Her only accessories for the photo were her dainty jewellery and a pearl headband emblazoned with her age.
Rhian captioned the snap: 'This is 40.'
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