Mum-of-three Carol Smillie is probably best known for two things: Changing Rooms and being pregnant while on television!

Despite most women’s reluctance to even have photographs taken while pregnant, Carol has been on screen virtually non-stop during two of her pregnancies.

And she’s had a very favourable response from people as a result: "Because I have been pregnant several times on screen, I get lots of letters saying where did you get that outfit? I think it’s good for people to see someone pregnant on screen and people give me a lot of support.

"It’s good for them to know that people on the television are human and normal. There’s a temptation to think TV stars lead a charmed life and don’t do the things everyone else does but we can look rotten just like everyone else! The difference is that I have people to help me out."

Carol balances work and family by looking for contracts that involve block recording and filming as much as possible at one time, to give her more time with husband Alex and children Christie, Robbie and Jodie.
"My older daughter goes to nursery – she starts school this year actually. For the others, I have a nanny and she is an ANGEL! My sister helps out if anyone is ill or if the nanny wants time off.

"To be honest, I am here quite a lot, I never work weekends and Monday to Friday I try to keep time away to an absolute minimum, it’s busier obviously when we’re doing Changing Rooms, but I try to only be away one night a week.

"I try to block-record lots of stuff and cram in as much as I can, interviews and pictures and everything all in one go. We kept the Scottish Changing Rooms weeks to the end of my pregnancy, I worked up to 7.5 months pregnant and the fact that they were in Scotland meant I felt able to do it.

"I don’t work very much in Scotland so when I get on that plane to come back I take my makeup off and undergo a transformation from being Carol Smillie to being Mrs Knight with the three kids."

Click here to read how Carol planned her family >>