The Irish comedian and actress Aisling Bea has announced that she is expecting her first child.

The 40-year-old shared the news on Instagram, posting a series of photos showing her performing as a backing dancer for Sheryl Crow at a charity event in Kansas City – with her bump very much front and centre.

A short video showed her dancing on stage at Big Slick ’24 alongside American comedian Seth Herzog, with both concealing their faces while dancing with their bare stomachs out, with cartoon faces drawn on in black pen.

A host of other celebrities appeared with Bea in the snaps, including Marvel star Paul Rudd and American football player and boyfriend of Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce.

In a tongue-in-cheek message, Bea wrote: “Dignity Intact. Got pregnant so I could try and put something beside Paul Rudd’s face to make him look older”.

She thanked all the fellow celebrities for “helping me show off my bump in the most dignified and classy way possible,” adding, “Sheryl said myself and Seth could be her very professional back up dancers with our ridiculous idea. How on brand! She really does just wanna have some fun, yawl.”

The Irish star also thanked her partner, composer and producer Jack Freeman, and actress Elsie Hewitt “for doing full bump glam and to one of them in particular for getting me pregaroo in the first place”.

Bea then warned that the pens they’d used to draw on the faces lasted “for about two days” in case fans were “weighing up what a commitment to an idea is worth”.

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Stars including Bridgerton’s Nicola Coughlan, comedian Nish Kumar and actress Sally Phillips were quick to offer their congratulations.

Bea later added a footnote to her post, writing: “Yes, I am pregnant. This time it’s not a joke about bread.”

In 2021 Bea had to tell fans they’d misinterpreted a photo she’d posted showing her with a bloated stomach after eating too much bread, after some congratulated her on her bump.

Bea created and starred in the comedy This Way Up, and has also appeared in Taskmaster, Doctor Who and panel shows including QI and 8 Out of 10 Cats.

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