The Britain’s Got Talent judge, 53, was devastated in 2011 when her second baby, Theo, died in the womb
Amanda Holden has marked the 14th anniversary of her son Theo’s death by lighting a candle in his memory. The Britain’s Got Talent judge, 53, was left utterly heartbroken in 2011 when her second child died in the womb.
On February 1, Amanda photographed a burning candle in tribute to her son and told her Instagram followers: “Our beautiful boy would have been 14 today.” The TV star has previously opened up about her harrowing ordeal in a bid to raise awareness of stillbirths.
In 2022, she told Heart Radio that she was completely terrified about telling her eldest daughter Lexi, now 19, with the traumatic ordeal propelling her into a ‘surreal out-of-body experience’. “We lost our baby Theo at 28 weeks, and they very sensitively moved me into another room so I could deliver him without having to hear the lovely babies screaming on a normal ward,” she said.
“Often that’s not thought about, it’s little things like that.” She added: “I just remember hearing this woman just screaming and screaming and then it was actually — it was me, I realised it was me that was screaming.
“It was the most surreal, out-of-body experience and I was actually calling my daughter’s name because I was just terrified about what to tell Lexi at the time.” While Amanda initially resisted to hold Theo, she mustered the courage and eventually said goodbye.
She continued: “I held him in my arms and I said goodbye, basically. But I couldn’t have done it without the incredible team around us. My husband was so strong and so amazing but they got him through it too.”
A stillbirth takes place when ‘a baby is born dead after 24 completed weeks of pregnancy’. If a baby dies before this period it is known as a miscarriage. Sadly, one in every 250 pregnancies in England result in stillbirths, NHS data suggests.
While these deaths are often linked to placenta complications, birth defects or the mother’s health, some cases have no obvious cause. “If your baby has died, you may be able to wait for labour to start naturally or your labour may be induced,” the NHS states.
“If your health is at risk, the baby may need to be delivered as soon as possible. It’s rare for a stillborn baby to be delivered by caesarean section.”
A year after losing Theo, Amanda faced another traumatic experience during the birth of her second daughter, Hollie. The TV personality was left fighting for life, requiring several blood transfusions, following a critical haemorrhage.
Thankfully, both Amanda and Hollie, now 13, pulled through. On Good Morning Britain in 2020, she reflected: “It has been well documented that Chris and I had a baby boy who was born sleeping at an NHS hospital…And then the year after he was born I delivered Hollie, and then went into a coma.
“So that was pretty traumatic, and then three years ago my sister had a car accident that she has fully recovered from now. But all those incidents were massively trying and the NHS were there to support us all the way through.”
*If you have been affected by this story, advice and support can be found at Sands (stillbirth and neonatal death charity). You can call them on 0808 164 3332 or email [email protected]