'I think he'll be an actor too': Actress who gave birth on Burberry coat on Hollywood Road describes dramatic arrival of her baby

  • Vivian Gray thought she had time to walk to hospital to give birth
  • But 30 yards from hospital she couldn't walk and realised baby was coming
  • Gave birth on the street after her mother laid out her Burberry coat
  • Baby Sky was born, a healthy 7lbs and 9oz, half hour after her waters broke

By Bianca London and David Wilkes

Published: 09:20 EST, 16 July 2014 | Updated: 11:57 EST, 16 July 2014

Actress Vivian Gray, whose son was so keen to make his debut that he had to be delivered on the pavement with his grandmother’s Burberry coat hurriedly laid out for him on the ground, has opened up about the dramatic experience.

Vivian, 31, who appeared on ITV news with husband Adrian Jayasinha, said: 'I thought I'd be fine because we're very close to the hospital and I'd had a baby before so I thought I had this under control.'

Clearly she didn't. Miss Gray began having contractions in the early hours of June 12, a week before her due date. When her waters broke, she presumed she had plenty of time to walk to the local maternity unit.

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They can laugh about it now! Vivian Gray appeared on ITV news with husband Adrian Jayasinha to chat about giving birth on the pavement on her mother's Burberry coat

They can laugh about it now! Vivian Gray appeared on ITV news with husband Adrian Jayasinha to chat about giving birth on the pavement on her mother's Burberry coat

She set off for Chelsea and Westminster Hospital with her husband Adrian, 38, an investment banker, and her mother Alicia Gray, a plastic surgeon, who was staying at their home.

But just 30 yards from the hospital doors, Miss Gray could walk no further and realised her baby had decided he wasn’t waiting any longer.

 
Miss Gray with her mother, who laid out her Burberry coat, and medical staff who helped her give birth on the street

Dramatic arrival: Miss Gray with her mother, who laid out her Burberry coat, and medical staff who helped her give birth on the street

Medical staff from the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital came out to assist Miss Gray, who was eventually taken into the building on a stretcher

Help is at hand: Medical staff from the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital came out to assist Miss Gray, who was eventually taken into the building on a stretcher

Blissfully unaware: Sky was born a healthy 7lb 9oz at 5.51am on June 12, just half an hour after Miss Gray's waters broke

Blissfully unaware: Sky was born a healthy 7lb 9oz at 5.51am on June 12, just half an hour after Miss Gray's waters broke

The Scottish-born actress, who is well-known in the US for playing villain Suzy Edwards in television drama Desire, left home just after 5am, thinking it would be quicker to walk than get a taxi as the hospital was so close. But the contractions quickly became more powerful.

‘It was as if my body was doing all the work and I had no power over this pushing sensation,’ she said.

She explained that her mother very 'gallantly' threw her Burberry coat on the floor 'like Sir Walter Raleigh'.

Unexpected: The Scottish-born actress, who is well-known in the US for playing villain Suzy Edwards in television drama Desire, said her body took over

Unexpected: The Scottish-born actress, who is well-known in the US for playing villain Suzy Edwards in television drama Desire, said her body took over

She said: 'She was the hero and she was very concerned that I was going to be lying on the dirty street to have the baby so she did not hesitate.

'She took her coat off, put it on the floor and I did crouch on it, and that's where the baby was born.'

When asked if the fact that she was born on Hollywood Road was a good luck charm, she said: 'Absolutely a good luck charm. This little boy is very lucky for me and I think maybe he'll be an actor too.'

Miss Gray and baby Sky were allowed out of hospital to go home 12 hours later to join her husband Adrian and older son Liam

Miss Gray and baby Sky were allowed out of hospital to go home 12 hours later to join her husband Adrian and older son Liam

The hospital was extremely efficient. Within three minutes, two midwives, two assistant midwives and two paramedics arrived with all the equipment and held sheets round her to screen her from view while they delivered the baby.

Sky was born a healthy 7lb 9oz at 5.51am on June 12, just half an hour after Miss Gray’s waters broke.

She had spent eight hours in labour with her first child Liam, now two, so Sky’s speedy delivery came as something of a shock.

After the birth, she spent 12 hours in hospital before taking her newborn son home the same day.

Happy families: Actress Vivian Gray, who gave birth to her son Sky on the pavement in Hollywood Road, Fulham, seen here with grandmother Alicia, her husband, and older son Liam

Happy families: Actress Vivian Gray, who gave birth to her son Sky on the pavement in Hollywood Road, Fulham, seen here with grandmother Alicia, her husband, and older son Liam


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She didn't give birth on the coat, the coat was up by her head. If she had given birth on it the coat would have been down the business end.

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Love it!! Now I need to DVR stalk "Desire" as I have never heard of it.

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that is a very cute baby! best wishes to the whole family. And grandma a plastic surgeon! Who'd have guessed.

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'Woman has baby' shocker. Who cares?

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It's hard to not be taken a bit aback, when a plastic surgeon looks like that. ...as for the baby though, congratulations, he is a cutie.

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