Tina Malone, 54, to have another baby via surrogate

Updated
Arqiva British Academy Television Awards - Arrivals - London
Arqiva British Academy Television Awards - Arrivals - London

Actress Tina Malone has said she is going to have another child at the age of 54 via a surrogate.

The former Shameless star has a 35-year-old daughter from a previous relationship and in 2013, at the age of 50, Malone welcomed daughter Flame with husband Paul Chase, 35.

Malone said she knows people will criticise her decision to have a child at her age, but that she does not care as she is doing it for her family.

Due to her husband's fears over her having a baby at her age they have opted for surrogacy, which also gives them the option of choosing the child's gender.

Malone told the Sunday People: "Some will say I am selfish and irresponsible for having another child at 54.

"They will moralise and abuse me - even more so for selecting the sex of our baby - and everyone is entitled to their opinion."

But she said did not care what anyone thought: "I am doing this for Flame and for my husband, not just myself.

"I am healthy, of sound mind, solvent - and a bloody brilliant mother."

Malone and former soldier Chase, who married in 2010, have embryos still frozen in Cyprus after she underwent IVF treatment in 2013.

Malone said: "We still have eight embryos frozen in Cyprus. And whenever we went there I'd cry, moan and say to Paul: 'Please let me have another one.'

"But Paul won't let me risk my life."

While pregnant with Flame, the TV star developed life-threatening pre-eclampsia, a condition that affects women in up to 6% of pregnancies, according to the NHS, and is characterised by dangerously high blood pressure.

Her husband said: "I couldn't let Tina risk another pregnancy. Flame and I love her too much."

Malone is known for playing Mimi Maguire in the Bafta award-winning Channel 4 drama Shameless, as well as appearing in Brookside and Dinnerladies.

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