Former The Traitors star Charlotte Chilton has previously spoken about her ‘miracle’ daughter Penelope after tragically experiencing numerous miscarriages and rounds of fertility treatment
Prior to welcoming her baby Penelope into the world, The Traitors star Charlotte Chilton bravely opened up about her fertility struggles.
In April 2024, the recruitment manager, who appeared on series two of the BBC show, shared news of her “miracle” pregnancy, having tragically experienced numerous miscarriages and rounds of fertility treatment. Conor Maynard was previously claimed to have been the father of her child, but now, after taking a paternity test, the singer has confirmed he is not the little girl’s dad.
Taking to Instagram Stories, Conor wrote: “Earlier this week, I took a paternity test regarding Charlotte Chilton’s baby girl, Penelope, in the presence of her legal representative. Today I’ve received the test results which confirm that I am not Penelope’s father. I am glad that the speculation can finally be put to an end.”
He continued: “All I would ask is that people act with kindness in response to this news – there is a child at the heart of all of this and that should not be forgotten. I wish Charlotte and her family all the best. Conor.”
It comes almost one year after Charlotte revealed that she was expecting her first child, having heartbreakingly suffered seven miscarriages in the past. Sharing news of her pregnancy in an Instagram post, the TV personality opened up on how she’d been told she might never become a mother.
“So I have been keeping a secret in a few of my pics !! The true glory is in my final pic!!! After 7 miscarriages over my 20s, failed Insemination, failed IVF I was told It probably won’t happen for you. These words for a lot of woman, are the words you never want to hear!,” she wrote.
“Yet someone decided I deserved a wish answering and I am now going to have my own little miracle. It was a rough start (never knew sickness could be so bad) but I’m starting to feel normal again!! I wanted to share this with all my family, friends and #thetraitors fan base!! It’s been a shock to say the least but the most welcomed surprise ever!!!”
During her time on The Traitors, Charlotte had been in a relationship with ex-wife Laura and the pair had been together for seven years before things sadly came to an end. Laura confirmed to MailOnline that they’d tried to have a child during their time together. “Do you know what we have had some great times together, we had a really cool wedding – Charlotte has been through a lot. We did go through IVF, we only had one cycle and that was unsuccessful,” she said.
She added that it had been “really difficult” going through IVF. She continued: “I think for any couple going through it, whether they are in a same sex relationship or not, it is hard. And being the other party is hard. I don’t think that gets spoken about enough. We went through it during Covid as well which was even harder as I wasn’t able to attend any appointments with her and everything. I very much felt left out of it.”
Meanwhile, speaking to The Sun in June 2024, Charlotte revealed that she’d struggled to get pregnant in the past after being diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). The condition, which is believed to affect around one in every 10 women in the UK, can affect fertility as it may cause absent or irregular periods.
In light of her diagnosis, Charlotte reflected on the shock she experienced when she found out she was pregnant. She said: “I was flabbergasted as I have polycystic ovaries which means it is hard to get pregnant anyway and I truly believed I would miscarry like I had so many painful times before.”
On October 13, 2024, Charlotte welcomed daughter Penelope into the world at 3.53pm, weighing 6lbs 7oz. Sharing the news on social media, she wrote: “Princess Penelope has arrived and we have been enjoying our ‘Penelope bubble’ so much, I am going to be off the radar for a little longer, whilst I enjoy these magical moments with my precious girl!! Thank you to all that have checked in to make sure I am ok!! my heart is full.”
In an interview with The Sunday Mirror in November, the former The Traitors star opened up on her difficult pregnancy – admitting it’s something she’d “hated”. She said: “I loved the baby inside me, but everything else was s**t. I remember thinking, ‘This is vile. Women lie to women and say, It’s magical. There’s nothing magical about this.’
“I was really, really negative, but I did have SPD [Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction, which causes severe pelvic pain during pregnancy], gestational diabetes, I had an allergy to my hormones. I had everything, so I was constantly in and out of the hospital. I couldn’t do much for myself. I had to stop working for the last three months.”
But despite the difficulties of her pregnancy, Charlotte gushed over motherhood and her little girl Penelope. “She’s just wonderful,” she added. “When I’m not with her, I feel like my arm has been chopped off. It’s a huge adjustment, but I’m so in love.”
If you have been affected by this story, advice and support can be found at the Miscarriage Association. You can call them on 01924 200799 or email [email protected]