Copyright walesonline
Strictly Come Dancing star Alex Kingston has opened up about her "very tough" journey into motherhood. The actress recently opened up about her secret battle with womb cancer last year, which led to a hysterectomy followed by radiation treatment. After undergoing the necessary procedures, the 62-year-old said she finally felt herself again and healthier than she has in years. It’s not the only health challenge the Doctor Who star has faced over the years. Reflecting on becoming a mother, Alex discussed the difficult IVF journey she endured to have her daughter, Salome Violetta Haertel. Born in 2001, Salome is her only child with her ex-husband Florian Haertel, a German writer and freelance journalist whom she met through friends. According to the Daily Mail, she said: "I went through about 13 rounds of IVF before I got pregnant with Salome, it was very tough. You are so desperate, you don’t really understand what the long-term side-effects can be." Previously discussing her fertility struggles with The Guardian, Alex said of initially trying for a baby with her first husband: “More and more friends and acquaintances were having children and I wasn’t. "I became really concerned, then frustrated and anxious about why not. I talked about it with my husband and had laparoscopic [investigative] surgery to see if there was any reason, but there was seemingly nothing wrong with me. "I was diagnosed with inexplicable fertility problems. We were going to move on to IVF, but unfortunately, our marriage then dissolved." Alex has been married three times, first to fellow actor Ralph Fiennes, then to Florian, and currently to actor Jonathan Stamp. Speaking about her current husband, she told The Times: "He’s very organised and I’m not particularly organised. "We are exactly six months apart, so I feel it’s almost like we’re yin and yang. He understands me because he’s a writer, a classicist, and teaches at Magdalen [College, Oxford]. I’m an actor and I love stories. I can literally sit and listen to him tell me about Jesus and the ancient world, just loving it.” Alex is currently competing on Strictly Come Dancing with professional dancer Johannes Radebe and her efforts have been impressive so far. Last weekend, she received her first 10 of the series from Shirley Ballas, who got out of her seat to praise her Rumba technique. On Saturday, Alex continued to impress the judges with her Foxtrot as part of Icons week, where she channelled country legend Dolly Parton. Tonight, the latest celebrity will leave the competition following Chris Robshaw’s departure last week. Strictly Come Dancing: The Results airs tonight at 7.15pm on BBC One.
