Pregnant Nicola Roberts supported fellow mum-to-be Laura Whitmore at the launch of her new skincare collaboration with SKN TO SKN at an intimate lunch held at Apricity in London's Mayfair on Thursday. The Girls Aloud singer, aged 40, who is expecting her first child with fiancé Mitch Hahn, showcased her blossoming bump in a figure-hugging black top.
Nicola completed the chic look with a pair of dark jeans, £1,000 Louis Vuitton ballet pumps, and a long beige coat. Meanwhile, Laura, also 40, who is pregnant with her and husband Iain Stirling's second child, caught the eye in a pair of striking leopard print pedal pushers. The former Love Island host, who is already mother to four-year-old daughter Stevie Ré, also wore an oversized black blazer which shielded her growing bump.
Also in attendance to celebrate the launch of Laura's pregnancy skincare line were SJ Strum, the baby naming expert on This Morning, and TV doctor Dr Raj Arora. Guests took their seats around a long table dressed with flowers and personalised embroidered wash bags.
Conversation turned to pregnancy symptoms, changing skin, and the confusion many women face when trying to navigate what products are both safe and effective. 'I remember standing in the bathroom Googling every ingredient, second-guessing everything I used,' Laura said. 'There's so much confusion around what's safe and what actually works. I really wish something like this had existed when I was pregnant the first time.'
Her answer comes in the form of the Laura Whitmore x SKN TO SKN Edit (£94 / €120), a streamlined, three-step skincare routine designed to take the guesswork out of pregnancy.
Earlier this month, Nicola enjoyed a reunion with her Girls Aloud bandmate Kimberley Walsh at a Bridgerton-themed baby shower. The pair headed to The Lanesborough for a swanky afternoon tea, with Nicola showing off her growing bump in a chic navy blue dress as Kimberley shared snaps of them together on her Instagram.
Last month, the songstress shared an update with fans on her pregnancy as she revealed she had entered the third trimester and sent her love to fellow mums-to-be. Nicola posted mirror selfies where she displayed her growing baby bump as she relaxed at home in a black sports bra and tracksuit bottoms. She captioned the snaps: 'Bump-date ✨ it's been a little while.. We're doing super well and safely in our third trimester now. Feeling more and more excited by the day. Sending love to all the mumma's to be. Especially the first time ones xxx.'
Back in January, Nicola revealed she was forced to pull out of her West End show ahead of a surgical operation. She stars as the goddess Persephone in the hit West End musical Hadestown at the Lyric Theatre. But she has now said that she will no longer be able to perform her final week of the show because she needs to undergo surgery. Taking to her social media, she explained that the decision was 'upsetting' for her but it was ultimately out of her control. In an emotive post, Nicola penned: 'I'm so sad and disappointed to have to share this news with you all. Today, I have learnt that I have to undergo a small surgical procedure and have been informed by my doctor that as a result, I will be unable to complete my final week of Hadestown shows. Everything is okay. I am heartbroken I won't get to share the stage with my incredible cast who I love dearly and perform for the passionate Hadestown audiences I've had the privilege to get to know over these last five months. I have adored playing the role of Persephone, it has been a dream come true and to not be able to fulfil my final week and leave without a proper goodbye is a shock to me and upsetting. I'm so sorry to anyone who had organised trips and tickets booked for my last week. This is completely out of my control and really I have to listen to my doctors advice.' The Daily Mail have contacted Nicola's representatives for comment.
