Lucy Pargeter reveals she kept IVF struggles a secret from Emmerdale bosses

Lucy Pargeter has revealed details of her journey to getting pregnant, including hiding her IVF from Emmerdale bosses and helping her 11-year-old daughter feel included in the pregnancy.

The Emmerdale star had been struggling to conceive for years before finally falling pregnant using IVF with fiancée Rudi Coleano.

The mum-to-be, who recently confirmed she is pregnant with twin girls, has opened up on This Morning about how she has dealt with some of the struggles involved with IVF treatment, particularly keeping the possibility of becoming pregnant from her bosses.

Lucy, 39, told hosts Holly Willoughby and Ore Oduba the measures she took to ensure her IVF attempts stayed a secret until she was ready to tell those around her.

Holly asked her if she had hidden her pregnancy from her Emmerdale co-workers, to which Lucy replied, 'From work, yes. For the first time round.'

'I had to keep it a secret, because if you give any indication, they'll think if it goes well, you'll be off in nine months, and it affects storylines.

'I had to go to IVF appointments in lunch times and after work.'

Guest host Ore went on to question if Lucy will make a return to Emmerdale after her pregnancy, wondering if viewers should get used to her character Chas not being around. The mum replied 'I'm not away for very long.'

'We're not leading people up the garden path. I'm just disappearing for a bit and then I'll be back.'

But there was one special person the actress wanted to keep very much in the loop, and that was her 11-year-old daughter Lola.

Lucy explained how she and Rudi took their little girl to every appointment so that she would feel included.

'We thought it was so important for her to know everything. We didn't want anything to happen behind her back.

'She's come with us to scans, doctors, she knew the whole process. She's been through the whole thing with us.'