Hollyoaks' Jorgie Porter on motherhood after devastating miscarriage - 'I've finally found my purpose'

When OK! catches up with Hollyoaks star Jorgie Porter at the glitzy Bafta TV Awards, she’s wearing a beautiful white dress with a sweetheart neckline which we suggest looks suspiciously bridal, eliciting a rather cheeky look from the actress.

She told us last month that she had originally hoped that her businessman fiancé, Oliver Piotrowski, might plan their wedding on her behalf and that she would even trust him to find her a “good” wedding dress to wear. But after he said, “Absolutely not! I plan everything in our world, this is one thing that I’m not doing,” she seems to be taking matters into her own hands.

Jorgie, who has played Theresa McQueen in the E4 soap on and off since 2008, opens up about wedding bells, why she will always love Hollyoaks despite having left the show a few times, and filming ITVBe fly-on-the-wall series Drama Queens with her other half.

Jorgie is engaged to businessman Oliver Piotrowski

The 36-year-old also gets misty-eyed as she raves about the joys of motherhood. Having endured the devastating miscarriage of quadruplets in 2021, Jorgie reveals that she has finally found her purpose since welcoming her son Forest into the world in November 2022…

Hi, Jorgie! You look incredible – and really quite bridal – might we add…

I know, my dress really is like a wedding dress, isn’t it? Getting in the mood. I said to Oliver, when we get married – hint, hint – I want it to be something very like this. Got to get our wedding ideas in order, you know? You can actually see us start some of the wedding planning on Drama Queens, which was my favourite bit – so if you haven’t watched it yet, you must.

And what’s filming that show been like?

Oh, it’s absolutely brilliant, because it’s soap actors behind the scenes of their actual lives, so it’s something totally different. It shows all the struggles, the parenting tensions – the getting to work, the having the babies, the good, the bad. Me and Ollie, my partner, are both in it and I really had to talk him into it at first. He’s very much like, “I’m not going to be fake – we are who we are.” Anyone who’s seen it will know that’s true. We are very real.

Jorgie loves acting in Hollyoaks

How is it going on Hollyoaks? Recently, there have been a lot of changes behind the scenes…

It’s phenomenal at the moment. The ratings are high. We did a massive stunt in my episode recently with Kieron [Richardson], which was the second in a series of crazy insane things happening. It’s just thriving, I think. I’ve always loved Hollyoaks. Obviously, yes, people are leaving [the number of weekly episodes are to be cut from five to three and cast and crew face redundancies] – I can’t say who or what happens, mostly because I personally don’t know. But yeah, there’s a lot going on.

Can you ever see yourself leaving the show?

Well, I’m no stranger to changing things up. I left it twice before and still survived. Hollyoaks is my favourite thing in the world, and I’ll always shout about it, but I’d be up for anything.

The actress is a mum to 18 month old son Forest

You’re a mum to 18-month-old Forest. How is motherhood?

I honestly didn’t think I’d love it this much. He’s a year and a half now, still a tiny baby in my eyes, but his personality is really starting to come through now, which is gorgeous. He’s quite dramatic – no idea who he takes after there. You see him throw himself on the floor and squeal and look up at you, and I’m going, “Nah, mate… I need better acting than that!”

But honestly? It’s the best thing ever. I feel like now I’ve got a reason to do things – even my job. I just want to look after him. He’s our main focus.

So you didn’t realise that you would love being a mum?

Nope. I honestly didn’t even want babies before I met Ollie. Then I met him and my ovaries were suddenly, like, bursting.

You’ve done other TV shows such as I’m A Celebrity… and Dancing On Ice – you like a challenge, don’t you?

I do. Dancing On Ice… gosh that was years ago, 2012, then I did the All Stars version. It’s one of the hardest shows to do, but also so much fun. If you’re filming as well as doing that show it’s insane. The travel, the training… But I’m a typical Capricorn, I love a challenge and I’m not afraid of putting in the hard work.

Jorgie is currently starring in reality show Drama Queens

Would you do another similar reality show?

Oh, I’d be up for anything. I’d throw myself into anything – except Naked And Afraid. No, I’d never do that show. Not for me. I’d love to do Strictly, but people don’t tend to do that if they’ve done Dancing On Ice. Yep, that breaks my heart.

And what are you watching on TV at the moment?

Baby Reindeer, like everyone else, I think. What an intense ride. To think that Richard Gadd was actually involved in the real story. Just wow!

Jorgie Porter spoke to OK! at the Bafta Television Awards, sponsored by P&O Cruises