OK! Magazine UK – 29 July 2019

WWW.OK.CO.UK 57

SHARINGTHEIRHAPPYNEWS

‘I’MNOT

BOTHEREDWHAT

WEHAVEAS

LONGASTHEY 

SLEEPTHISTIME!’

‘CORONATIONSTREET’STARMIKEYNORTHAND

HISWIFERACHAELTELLOK!’SKATIELANGFORD-

FOSTERTHEY’REEXPECTINGABABYGIRL

T

he family man who greets OK! at our

exclusive shoot is a far cry from the

dangerous character Mikey North

portrays on screen. His Coronation

Street alter ego Gary Windass has, in recent

months, become one of the soap’s most

notorious killers. But today he couldn’t be

further from Weatherfield’s cobbles when

we meet Mikey and his wife Rachael in the

Bolton sunshine to celebrate some happy

news (Rachael’s bump being a big clue!).

Just like his dad, the couple’s two-year-

old son Archie is a natural in front of the

camera, crying out ‘cheese’ as he shows off

his best grin! The lively toddler is also a big

fan of dinosaurs so we’re soon bonding over

T-Rexes, before enjoying a game of catch.

Mikey and Rachael’s wedding day was

featured exclusively in OK! in 2016, and they

welcomed their son nine months later. As we

sit down with them today, they exclusively

reveal that they’re expecting their first

daughter in August. Rachael, 34, tells us:

‘I knew we were having a girl – I’ve been

craving everything sweet this time.’

Although they can’t wait to meet baby

number two, it’s all come at a very busy time

for Mikey, 32. With Gary responsible for two

fatalities on the Street, his storylines are set to

get even darker. ‘I’ve been that busy at work,

I’ve not seen as much of this pregnancy as

I did the last,’ says Mikey, adding: ‘Which is

probably not a bad thing for Rach!’

With less than a month to go until they’re

a family of four, the duo tell us why they’ve

thrown their birthing plan out of the window

and what they hope will be easier second

time around...

Congratulations to you both! How

are you feeling about welcoming your

second child?

Rachael: Excited!

Mikey: It’s going to be double trouble. I

don’t think you’re ever prepared for your

first, but we’ve learnt a lot from Archie. Bring

on this next one!

Was it planned?

Mikey: Oh, yes. Get it out the way, close

together! I wanted them even closer in age.

I said let’s do it straight away.

Rachael: Yes, but that was literally the day

after I gave birth to Archie. I was like: ‘I need

some time.’

Tell us about the moment you found out

you were pregnant...

Rachael: I knew instantly.

Mikey: When she said that, I was like, no

chance! I didn’t think it’d happen so quickly.

Rachael: Then we went for a run together

and I had to stop. I felt weird. I was like: ‘I

definitely am!’ So the test just confirmed it.

[To Mikey] You didn’t have the same reaction

as last time, did you?