Grantchester star Melissa Johns on why she loves being pregnant

ACTRESS Melissa Johns says pregnancy has made her love her body for the first time after a lifetime of loathing her disability.

- BY SUE CRAWFORD

The Grantchester star, who was born without a right forearm, grew up enduring cruel taunts from other children and still faces foul comments from other adults today.

But the 35-year-old says having a baby bump has changed everything - and finally taught her to be happy with the way she looks.

Melissa and her husband Dan Hampton were flooded with celebratory messages after she posted a picture of Dan cradling her bump on a beach. The reaction had a big impact on her.

Melissa, who plays police secretary Jennifer Scott in the ITVX drama, says: "I have a history of loathing my body. It came from society telling me it was wrong.

"But there is so much positivity around pregnant bodies and I like what I see in the mirror now. It feels lovely."

Anxiety

Disability activist Melissa recalls feeling "different" from a young age.

She says: "We were playing tag in the playground and someone said, 'If you touch Melissa, you've got Melissa disease'. It was like a punch to my stomach."

On family holidays, she says "some of the other children would scream and run away when they saw me".