‘Now it’s time for mum to do a bit of work!’ Rachel Riley introduces baby daughter Maven Aria to her Countdown co-stars as her first episode after maternity leave airs
Rachel Riley celebrated the airing of her first Countdown show after becoming a mother on Monday.
Channel 4 broadcast the first episode Rachel filmed post-baby, with little Maven Aria shown visiting her mum on set with dad Pasha Kovalev.
Rachel also marked the milestone episode, which was filmed a month ago, with a sweet Instagram snap, taken on the set visit.
Sweet: Channel 4’s Countdown aired Rachel Riley’s first episode back after maternity leave on Monday, with her baby daughter Maven and husband Pasha Kovalev seen visiting the set
Rachel and husband Pasha welcomed Maven in December, with Rachel returning to filming 11 weeks later.
As the episode opened on Monday, host Nick Hewer asked Rachel how her weekend was, to which she quipped: ‘I have a bit of a busy weekend, I made a new friend, quite literally, do you want to meet her?’
Pasha then walked on set holding Maven to a round of applause, before Rachel explained the meaning of her daughter’s name as ‘one who understands’.
Rachel then joked ‘so yeah bit of a busy weekend, it feels like two and a half months have passed,’ referencing her maternity leave.
New addition: Rachel and husband Pasha welcomed Maven in December, with Rachel returning to filming 11 weeks later
Countdown took a break from filming during Rachel’s leave, but co-star Susie Dent revealed they had ‘banked up a lot of episodes before she went, so we have a lot in the can to keep us going while she’s been off.’
After cooing over Maven during Monday’s episode, Nick told Rachel: ‘She’s absolutely adorable but now it’s time for mum to do a bit of work’, as the new mum admitted: ‘I’ve got to stop swaying!’
Rachel also shared an Instagram snap from Maven’s first day on set on Monday, writing: ‘Introducing our newest Countdown viewer on my first show back filmed post-baby today!’
‘Tune in 2.10pm on @channel4 if you want to meet her #newbaby #backtowork #tvdebut’.
Family: Pasha then walked on set holding Maven to a round of applause, before Rachel explained the meaning of her daughter’s name as ‘one who understands’
Working hard: After cooing over Maven, Nick told Rachel: ‘She’s absolutely adorable but now it’s time for mum to do a bit of work,’ as the new mum admitted: ‘I’ve got to stop swaying!’
Channel 4 announced earlier this month that filming for Countdown would continue amid the coronavirus lockdown- but without a studio audience.
Rachel took to Twitter to share a sweet video of her daughter Maven competing against her toy Bunny in a bid to ‘convince’ bosses she could work from home.
The maths whizz, 34, said: ‘It’s Maven versus Bunny in the first Countdown numbers game. Mav what would you like?
‘Two from the top fantastic? You have 100, 50 and four little ones… 7,8, 7 and 1 and your target… 391.
‘Your 30 seconds start now’, Rachel said before pressing a baby toy which played music.
Rachel captioned the video: ‘How to convince the @C4Countdown @Channel4 bosses it’d be fine to work from home.’
