Simon Thomas and Derrina Thomas have announced their first baby.
The news comes five year after Sky Sports host and presenter 49-year-old Gemma, his first wife, died. Three days after being diagnosed with acute myeloidleukemia, she received her diagnosis of blood cancer.
Simon shared the joyous announcement on Saturday that he was expanding his family via an Instagram post. He posted a picture of Derrina’s scan.
Happy news: Simon Thomas has announced that his wife Derrina is pregnant with their first child – five years after the tragic death of his first wife Gemma
Simon penned: ‘Fourteen months ago today, @chrissayburn & @brittanysipling sang this beautiful song of blessing over us.
‘There’s another little blessing on its way…!’
He shared with him a video of clips from their wedding before they slowly revealed their scans.
Cute: Simon made the happy announcement that he would be expanding his family with a sweet Instagram post on Saturday as he shared a snap of his wife’s ultrasound scan
He also shared a heartwarming collage of photos from his life with Derrina, 31, along with a snap of the couple smiling with his son Ethan, 12, who he shared with Gemma.
Dan Walker, Vernon Kay, and Jenni Falconer were among the others who congratulated him for his good news.
Simon and Derrina were married in July 2021 at Norwich Cathedral, two years after Gemma died.
Tragic: The Sky Sports presenter, 49, lost his first wife Gemma (both pictured with Ethan) to blood cancer in 2017, just three days after being diagnosed with adult acute myeloid leukemia
Blue Peter host and former Blue Peter star shared this snap showing him feeling happy while walking his beautiful bride down her aisle. He was surrounded by well-wishers who applauded his joy.
Captioning this heartwarming picture, the Norfolk-born father of one, who died from leukaemia in 2017 after losing his first wife Gemma at the end, simply wrote: “Love.” Wins.’
A host of Simon’s television presenter friends, including many former Blue Peter and CBBC hosts, attended the happy couple’s special day.
He shared with him a video that included clips from their wedding before the hands revealed their scans
Amazing reveal: Simon and Ethan, the couple’s children, were taken away by Simon to show their ultrasound scans.
Simon speaks openly about his tragic wife’s passing and Derrina, his new wife, said last month that she was still struggling with guilt after the anniversaries of Gemma’s death.
On Kate Ferdinand’s Blended podcast he stated that he sees the anniversary of his wife’s death as a simple’marker on time’.
Derrina believes that the family needs to do more for Gemma and Ethan’s sake.
Simon shares a sweet video about baby and the journey. Simon also shared an ultrasound scan closer up.
Simon commented, “It is possible to feel a bit guilty about anniversaries. I feel very at ease with anniversaries, in that I don’t think about them too much.
“I believe the hardest year of loss is the first.
I’m not the only one that, on any anniversary, wants to do something significant. These are just markers of time for me. Ethan sees them as markers in time.
Family: He also shared a heartwarming collage of photos from his life with Derrina along with a snap of the couple smiling with his son Ethan, 12, who he shared with Gemma
Simon is a doting dad: Simon shared a picture with Ethan on Saturday via his Story, which he called an ‘amazing little brother’.
Simon explained that while Derrina is often keen to mark the anniversary, Ethan often prefers a low-key day, perhaps sending a ‘balloon with a little message’ rather than a large event.
“It’s possible that she sometimes feels like we shouldn’t be doing enough because of guilt. When that happens, I try to comfort Derrina by saying it’s okay.”
Derrina shared her story about how she took on the grief of her husband, and claimed she was stronger emotionally than Simon, Ethan, or Gemma at Gemma’s two last anniversaries despite not having ever met her.
I felt this deep guilt especially in the past two. [anniversaries]I’m probably emotional more than you and your wife. [Simon and Ethan]”Yes, said she.
Happy day: Two years after Gemma’s death, Simon found love with Derrina and they wed in a ceremony at Norwich Cathedral in July 2021
“It’s ridiculous because Gemma wasn’t my friend, but it’s true that you can feel the same feelings as everyone in your wider circle.
“I suppose there is a certain amount of sensibility, but there is also the empathic thought, “This must be awful.” I can definitely feel the sadness and pain of others and get very emotional.
As she spoke out about how she compared herself to Gemma and the feelings that followed, she became very emotional. She also admitted that Gemma’s little voice often told her that Gemma could have done it better.
“As a woman, you are so conscious of the past and no one has ever said, “Mummy would do it that way, Gemma would make it that way,”.
Joy: Marking her birthday in May 2020, the TV personality thanked then-girlfriend Derrina for making him ‘happier than he dared to believe he could be again’
“But, in your head that little voice on your shoulder will tell you, “She would’ve done it better. Made a Christmas really special or a birthday really great.” And you are so conscious of this when you find yourself in such a situation.
Gemma Thomas was Simon’s widow and she tragically passed away in November 2017. This happened one year after Gemma had been sent home to rest with her GP following three trips for flu-like symptoms.
In May 2020, Derrina was honored by the television personality for marking her birthday.
Simon posted a black and-white picture of Derrina. Simon stated that Derrina was the love of his life and that they were ‘blessed’.
Cancer: Simon and Gemma tied the knot in 2005 and were married for 12 years before Gemma suddenly passed away three days after she was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia
He shared the photo to Instagram and wrote, “A very happy birthday to this very, very special lady.” It’s hard to describe how this woman has changed my entire life.
“She loved me even when it was difficult to love her, stood by me in my mistakes, and walked with me on the easier roads. She made me happy beyond what I had ever imagined.
He continued, “People don’t always understand this.” It’s great that Derrina is able to entertain the boys and take care of them. Derrina doesn’t care – she is the woman who I am in love.
Her presence has been a blessing in my and my boy’s lives. I am so grateful for her kindness and love. @derrinaxxxx Happy Birthday (I’m sure she doesn’t like PDAs).
Gemma, Simon’s wife, were wed in 2005. Gemma died suddenly three days later after being diagnosed with acute meeloid leukemia.
In November 2018, Derrina, an ex-sports presenter, spoke out for the first-time about his relationship. He kept Derrina’s identity secret at the time.
The father-of-one admitted he could be falling in love, but said Gemma could never be replaced, saying: ‘I’m very aware she was someone I didn’t know before and have got to know over the last few weeks and months.
‘Right from the early stages – she had this empathy towards me. She’s Christian as well and that’s important to me as a man of faith.
‘She’s been an incredible support for me. Her phone was always answered. Gemma was what I saw in her. She meant when she said that my phone was always on.
According to reports, Derrina met the former Blue Peter hoster through his church.
Derrina, a daughter of a minister in the church, currently works as a legal professional.
Awareness: Simon’s wife Gemma, who was suffering from flu-like symptoms three times and had been sent home by her GP for bed rest in October 2017, tragically passed away.