Television presenter and documentary maker Stacey Dooley has emotionally opened up about experiencing an ectopic pregnancy last year, breaking down in tears as she recounted the traumatic event and subsequent emergency surgery.
Emotional podcast revelation
During a candid appearance on Amy Jackson Westwick's podcast What's The Tea, Amy?, the 38-year-old broadcaster revealed she fell pregnant again last year but explained "it didn't go brilliantly." Dooley shared that she had been unable to discuss the experience for a considerable time without becoming overwhelmed by emotion.
"I couldn't talk about it for such a long time without bursting into floods of tears," she confessed. "But now I can. It was ectopic and it was all dramatic."
Emergency medical intervention
The situation unfolded while Dooley was in Liverpool, where medical professionals informed her she was "bleeding internally" and required immediate surgical intervention. Recalling the frightening moments before her operation, she remembered: "I was lying on the bed, about to go under, because it was all going t*** up."
Despite the traumatic circumstances, Dooley expressed profound gratitude toward Liverpool Women's Hospital for their exceptional care during her medical emergency.
Previous television disclosures
This recent podcast conversation follows earlier emotional disclosures on her television programme Stacey Sleeps Over, where she struggled to maintain composure while discussing fertility challenges with Britain's first legally recognised gay father, Barrie Drewitt-Barlow.
"I have experienced what it is like to struggle to have a child," she revealed during that broadcast. "We obviously wanted to expand our family, and last year I fell pregnant and it didn't go brilliantly."
Dooley became visibly emotional during that recording, apologising for her tears: "I am so sorry because this is so predictable. I am sat here crying on a bed. It was ectopic and it was really f***ing difficult."
Understanding ectopic pregnancies
Ectopic pregnancies represent a significant medical concern affecting approximately 11,000 pregnancies annually within the United Kingdom. This condition occurs when a fertilised egg implants outside the womb, typically within a fallopian tube.
According to NHS guidance, such pregnancies can never develop to term and usually require removal through medication or surgical procedures to prevent life-threatening complications for the mother.
Considering alternative family planning
Reflecting on her experience, Dooley acknowledged that the ordeal has prompted consideration of "alternative" pathways to expanding her family. "Of course, when you go through something like that, you are forced to think of alternatives," she explained. "S**t happens, and if you want a bigger family, you have to think how you're going to do that."
The Luton-born presenter shares her young daughter Minnie with former Strictly Come Dancing professional Kevin Clifton, whom she met while competing on the popular BBC dance competition in 2018. The couple won that series and began their romantic relationship the following year.
Celebrity solidarity in pregnancy loss
Dooley joins several other prominent British figures who have publicly discussed their experiences with ectopic pregnancies. Geordie Shore personality Charlotte Crosby, now a mother of two, survived an ectopic pregnancy in 2016 that nearly proved fatal.
Similarly, Olympic cycling champion Laura Kenny shared her own ectopic pregnancy experience in 2022, contributing to broader conversations about pregnancy complications and loss among public figures.
The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust provides dedicated information and support services for individuals affected by this condition, offering resources through their official website.
