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Louise Thomas
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Cold Feet star Fay Ripley has joked how she plans to ovecome the “challenge” of seeing her kids “grow older”.
The 58-year-old shares two children with her husband and Australian actor Daniel Lapaine, who she married in 2001. The couple have a 21-year-old daughter and a 17-year-old son.
“This is the most challenging moment of my entire life, seeing my kids grow older,” she said according to MailOnline.
Here, she quipped: “But then you can fill that gap with the grandparent role. I’m happy to do that – but I will be breastfeeding. I must admit, I do like babies very much.
“But yes, I’m taking on the wet nurse role, I believe.”
Although her son stays at home for his A Levels, Ripley’s daughter has left to pursue a career in acting.
Last year, the star admitted she was struggling with the “second half” of motherhood, in an episode of the White Wine Question Time podcast.
“I guess for some people, they go quite quickly into going, ‘Right, now we’re grandparents’.” she said.
“I think maybe I’m taking it a bit far. Like I still do a turn-down service. Like literally I do a fold-down.
“I’m putting a flipping pointy thing on the loo roll for when they have their next poo. That’s because I think ‘Ah, that’ll be nice for them’. And I fill a glass of water. At 20 and 16, what am I doing?
“I think if they were on here they’d say it’s quite claustrophobic. So, I’m clearly not getting it all right. But I really have felt that to this point it’s been a privilege. I don’t know what will happen.
“I feel like I’ve kept them alive to this point and I’m proud of that, and now ‘Hey, kids, got to keep me alive now!’”
Ripley graduated from the prestigious Guildhall Music School of Drama, but spent her early career years as a children’s entertainer and selling menswear door-to-door.
She eventually found her breakthrough role in ITV comedy drama Cold Feet, in which she played northern housewife Jenny Gifford. She starred in the programme for three series.
