All Creatures Great and Small star gives birth to baby boy and reveals adorable name
ACTRESS Rachel Shenton has announced she’s given birth for the first time, and shared her baby boy’s sweet name with fans.
The 37-year-old welcomed baby Orson Wilde Overton, with fellow actor husband Chris Overton earlier this month, but has only just gone public with the news.
The former Hollyoaks star took to Instagram to share details of her new arrival, who was born prematurely, and thanked staff at the hospital where she gave birth.
She said: “On the 09.04.2025 my dream came true….Welcome to the world Orson Wilde Overton….Our hearts are yours.
“The biggest thank you to the brilliant midwives and doctors at Royal Stoke maternity Unit.
“Orson came along earlier than expected…so we needed to stay in hospital for a while and we couldn’t have wished for better care and support.”
Rachel’s celebrity friends then flooded the comments section on her page to wish her well.
Presenter Kirsty Gallacher said: “I am SO happy for you, over the moon in fact. This is the best news ever. Enjoy the new born bubble. I’m sending you all so much love.”
And actress Emily Atack, who welcomed her first child last year, said: “Absolutely b****y brilliant news xxx.”
While former Emmerdale star Gemma Oaten said: “Aw amazing. Congratulations mummy!! You’ll be such a beautiful role model and mamma. Much love xxx.”
Rachel and 35-year-old Chris, who also previously starred in Hollyoaks, as well as shows like Casualty and A Touch of Frost, first met in 2010 before getting married in 2018.
The pair won an Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film in 2017, for The Silent Child, which Rachel wrote and appeared in and Chris directed.
The film is about a six-year-old deaf girl who lives her life in silence until she meets a kind-hearted social worker (played by Rachel).
The story was inspired by Rachel having to learn sign language in real life at the age of 12, after her father went deaf following chemotherapy for throat cancer.
Rachel left Hollyoaks in 2013 and joined the cast of All Creatures Great and Small in 2020.