This Morning presenter Sian Welby has opened up about the personal struggles she faced regarding job security after taking maternity leave from ITV. In an emotional interview, Sian revealed the dark thoughts she grappled with when deciding to return to work following the birth of her daughter Ruby, whom she shares with fiancé Jake Beckett.
The 38-year-old presenter, who gave birth to Ruby last summer, admitted she was deeply worried about being replaced after taking just three months of maternity leave. She returned to the program alongside Craig Doyle just two months after her baby was born. “I worried I would be off for a month and they would decide someone else is better and then they would replace me,” Sian shared with The Sun. “Those are the dark thoughts you have. It’s probably what put me off earlier in my life even thinking about having kids, because I thought, ‘How could I?’”
Sian, who has worked tirelessly to establish herself in the TV industry, explained that many women in her field share similar anxieties. “I think most women in the TV industry will admit you get a bit nervous about having time off to have a baby, especially if you have just worked your whole life to get where you are, which I have,” she reflected.
Although Sian was nervous about the potential impact of her brief maternity leave, she said that she “fully embraced” the time off to give birth to Ruby. “It’s the best thing I’ve ever done,” she said, describing her new role as a mother as one she is “loving every second” of, according to the Express.
Born in Nottingham, Sian’s rise in the television industry has been remarkable. She landed her first presenting job at just 19 years old with Channel 5, all while working part-time at New Look. By 2010, Sian was named the new face of Channel 5 News. But her journey wasn’t without risk. Sian confessed that she took a leap of faith by leaving her steady retail job to pursue her TV career.
Reflecting on her bold decision, Sian shared a story from her early career on the Sliding Doors podcast. “If I hadn’t risked it, I wouldn’t have done the advert which was played on a loop in Channel 5’s offices and got me my big TV break,” she recalled. “I couldn’t get anyone to do my full 8 to 6 shift so I went behind my boss’s back and got someone to do 8 to 12 and someone to do 12 to 6. There was something in me that went, ‘I’ve got to do this.’”
Despite the challenges, Sian’s journey is a testament to her determination and resilience in balancing both her career and new motherhood.
What’s Next?
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