Exclusive:
The Saturdays singer Mollie King is in the final weeks of her second pregnancy and is making sure she takes some time for herself and her family over this Christmas period
Mollie King, The Saturdays sensation, is positively glowing as she gears up to welcome her second child, all while keeping up with her two year old whirlwind, Annabella. Despite feeling the strain of the pregnancy in these last months, Mollie is full of joy about Christmas – a time that means more to her than just the festive frills, she tells OK!.
She tells us, “I love that it’s a time to be with family and totally switch off,” explaining how normally it’s tough for her to relax given life’s usual bustle. “I find it hard generally to slow down and switch off – everyday life is just so busy for all of us, but I feel like Christmas time is the perfect time for that.” Currently on leave from her BBC Radio 1 presenter duties, Mollie – who has been engaged to cricket star Stuart Broad since January 2021 – has even managed to squeeze in spinning tunes for the American Express Shop Small celebration.
Hi Mollie! How are you feeling physically – and how are you finding being off for maternity leave?
I’m feeling physically pretty tired at the moment. It’s hard to know if it’s the fact I’m running after a toddler 24/7 or the fact that I’m carrying a little one in my belly, but the combination is certainly keeping me on the move! Sitting down in the evenings comes as a great treat each night.
Are you all packed and ready for when the time comes?
I wish I could say I was packed with my pregnancy bag safely in the hallway, but me being me I don’t do things in half measures and have decided to also renovate part of the house in these final few months of pregnancy! Taking “nesting” to the extreme. So, there’s quite a bit to do still, time is of the essence!!!
What’s your own favourite childhood memory from Christmas? What traditions have you kept up?
I love watching Home Alone as it reminds me of being a child and watching it with my two older sisters. My sisters and I always used to put on a Christmas production every year in the living room with singing and dancing for our parents and grandparents, safe to say we’ve retired that one now but I’m sure it won’t be long until my daughter is doing something similar.
What lessons do you try to teach Annabella about Christmas – beyond presents? Have you done the whole visiting Santa thing?
Annabella is still incredibly young but what I would like her to take away from Christmas is that it’s a time for being with loved ones and giving back. It’s not about the materialistic things, it’s about the simpler things, which shouldn’t be taken for granted. We have a lot of family traditions, even just the simple classic ones of all sitting down for lunch together is really important. We’ve already ventured out to see the lights together which she has absolutely loved.
Seeing Christmas through her eyes has been incredible – this year feels like the first year she has been able to properly take it in which is really special. We’re off to see Father Christmas very soon, which I’m ridiculously excited about! I love the magic that Christmas brings, so I can’t wait to share that with her as she gets older.
What’s your own Christmas wish?
We are due our second baby around Christmas so my wish is for another happy and healthy baby to add to our family, and to make Annabella’s Christmas as special as ever.
What do you find difficult?
Like everyone, it can be a bit of a mad rush to get everything sorted in time alongside tidying up all the loose ends at work before the break – this year I’ve been preparing for maternity leave and the arrival of our new baby as well, so it’s been a lot! I just keep telling myself, it will all come together in the end!
Do you take time out to pause and reflect? How so?
This is something I’m really trying to do more of. Having my daughter has made me realise how important it is to do that. I’ve always been someone who has been able to pause and be grateful when luck has come my way, but I think having my daughter has highlighted to me just how quickly time flies and how important it is to stop and reflect.
You asked for tips for going from one to two – have you implemented any of them yet?!
I am a real over-thinker and a real worrier at times so I have bought lots of books to try and help explain to Annabella what’s to come, as well as books that I’m still yet to read about how to cope with two!!
Annabella turned two recently, how would you describe the last two years?
The highest high has been welcoming our daughter into the world. I always wanted to be a mum, so it’s been a dream come true! I’ve never known a love like it…Stuart doesn’t mind me saying that, haha! She has brought joy and hope through some of the most difficult times, just by being herself, that really is incredible to me. I also raised over £1.3 million pounds for Comic Relief by cycling from London to Hull, my late Dad’s hometown, which was something I will never forget and something I am extremely thankful to all the supporters of that challenge for.
What made you join the American Express Shop Small campaign? Why is it important to you to shop small?
I think it’s so important to support the local businesses that make up our high streets, especially as we start to shop for gifts or go out during the festive period. It’s a great time of year to head to your favourite independent business or try somewhere new and make the effort to support small independent businesses who put so much care in the curation of the products they offer. Small businesses are the backbone of our communities and with American Express encouraging the nation to shop small, it’s a great time to get involved.
You did a DJ gig very recently – how on earth do you find the energy?!
I was super excited and it was the perfect sign off for all things work related this year. I knew the music would give me energy and it was lovely to see people supporting a small business and having fun.
What are your hopes for 2025?
I hope to learn, pretty rapidly, how to look after two little ones at the same time. I am incredibly excited. I’ve also got lots of exciting work projects coming up both with Radio 1 and many more. I’ve also got a project I can’t wait to launch with Matt Edmondson in the spring.
Mollie King is the headline act for American Express presents Small Business Saturday Sessions. The Sessions form part of American Express Shop Small™, a long-running campaign which aims to support small businesses by encouraging the nation to champion their local high street and enjoy the benefits of ‘shopping small’, whatever their budget. For more information visit www.americanexpress.com/en-gb/benefits/shop-small/.
