Former EastEnders star Michael Greco broke down in tears on Loose Women today (Tuesday, February 1) as his baby son made his TV debut.
The actor, 51, got teary-eyed as he appeared alongside his girlfriend, Helen Harris, and his young son, Gianluca.
Why was Michael Greco on Loose Women?
Michael, who is probably best known for his role as Beppe Di Marco on EastEnders between 1998 and 2002, appeared on Loose Women today.
The 51-year-old became a first-time dad at the age of 50 last year. However, his son, Gianluca, was born six weeks premature.
He was in ICU for several weeks before Michael and Helen could take him home. Gianluca was also born with a rare condition called Gastroschisis. This is a birth defect of the abdominal wall.
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Michael initially appeared on the panel alone to talk about his appearances on EastEnders and Holby City.
“You say about bringing things back, the storyline in the episode of Holby you appeared in obviously bought a lot back for you,” Ruth Langsford said. “Because it was about a father being given some very bad news about his son.”
“Tell us why that resonated with you,” she said.
Michael Greco on Gianluca
The star then spoke about how the Holby City storyline had come at such a difficult time for him.
“The timing was immaculate because my son had been born a couple of months before I started filming. He’d been born with a thing called Gastroschisis, which is when the bowel or the intestines are outside of the stomach,” he said.
He said that doctors didn’t pick up on the defect in the scan at first, however, when they did he and Helen were told they had to get Gianluca out as he wasn’t moving. “We were worried about him being stillborn,” Michael said.
“So, when he was born she didn’t show the full baby, she just showed his head and shoulders because underneath was this whole thing,” Michael explained. It was at this point that he started tearing up.
“God I get a little bit emotional talking about it,” he said.
He then went on to say that there wasn’t much acting he had to do with the Holby City storyline as it was all drawn from his experiences with Gianluca. “But I’m a crying wreck now,” he said.
What else did Michael say?
Michael then went on to reveal to the Loose Women panellists that the last few months had a huge effect on his mental health.
“I was always the one people came to and asked ‘can you help me out’,” he said. “And now, the last seven months have been tough.”
Helen and Gianluca then joined Michael on the show. Michael cradled Gianluca as Helen told the Loose Women panellists that their baby was much better now.
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“Each day he’s getting stronger and hopefully he’s out of the woods now,” Helen said.
“Great Ormond Street [Hopsital] were incredible,” Michael then said. “I have to say, any charity work I do in the future will always be for Great Ormond Street because they helped save my son’s life.”
Michael then spoke briefly about being a first-time father in his fifties. He said there was only one downside – “sleep deprivation”.
“I love my sleep,” he laughed.
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