Nikki Sanderson has said getting pregnant was 'really hard' on her and partner Anthony Quinlan as she detailed her journey with IVF and freezing her eggs.

The former Coronation Street actress, 41, who announced she is expecting her first child with the actor, also 41, opened up about their 'ups and downs' in an interview.

The couple, who have been together since 2022, chose to freeze Nikki's eggs in the very early stages of dating due to her being in her late thirties.

Speaking about their experience in a joint interview, they admitted 'it’s been really hard on us' and found the happy news difficult to believe at first.

Nikki explained how she was aware of her 'biological clock ticking away' and brought up the conversation very early on. 

'Anthony and I had only been together for a few months so I was a little anxious. But he just went, "Nikki, I think that’s a really good idea,"' she said. 

Nikki added to The Mirror that the pregnancy was 'worth all the ups and downs' as they 'had each other’s backs' even when the journey took its toll both physically and emotionally.

Anthony added he wanted to 'shout it from the rooftops' when Nikki has a positive pregnancy test. 

He added: 'We were thrilled but kind of held back from getting too excited because we’re aware of the troubles that can happen.

'It was a bit of shock. Because we’d had a few times where it wasn’t the result we wanted, it was like, "Is this for real?"'

Nikki and Anthony revealed they are expecting their first child together on Instagram on Christmas Eve. 

The actress announced the incredible news in a figure-hugging red dress, where she debuted her bump.

Sharing a sweet video of a Christmas tree, the pair zoomed in on a bauble which had an image of a baby scan.

The caption simply read: 'Happy Christmas from the 3 of us', alongside a Christmas tree emoji.

They also wrote: 'Baby Quinlan due 2026' with a heart emoji after the former Emmerdale star felt her bump and the couple embraced in a kiss.

Anthony, who previously starred in Hollyoaks and Emmerdale now runs an online PT and supplements business. 

The loved-up pair have been dating since the start of 2022 after Anthony publicly announced their partnership in April, confessing he was 'really, really happy'.

Previously speaking about their relationship in 2022 to The Sun, the star admitted: 'I’ve always fancied her. She’s mega hot, right?'

He added: 'We’ve known each other for years... There were rumours we met at the gym, which we had a bit of a laugh about. 

'I slid into the DMs and that was it. I was lucky enough to get a date and the rest is history. All I can say is I'm really, really happy and she's a very special girl. She's lovely.'