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Rachel Riley has shared the joyful news that she has given birth to a baby girl named Maven.

The 33-year-old Countdown star, who met her dancer husband Pasha Kovelev when she appeared on Strictly Come Dancing in 2013, revealed the happy announcement on social media.

She wrote: "2 weeks after we were expecting her this little one finally made an appearance!



"Miss Maven (one who understands) Aria (lioness) Riley Kovaleva arrived on Sunday morning weighing in at 7lbs 4.



"After keeping us waiting she came so quickly we didn’t have a chance to get to the hospital and was born in our bathroom with our amazing doula and wonderful St Mary’s midwives rushing over to be with us in to be nick of time!



"She’s absolutely perfect and Pasha and I are in newborn bliss.

"Couldn’t be more in love."

The thrilled couple revealed Rachel was pregnant in July, with her sharing a Countdown conundrum to fans.

She stood next to the show's iconic letters board, which had "RTINYMATE" spelled out on it - an anagram of 'maternity'.

Rachel wrote: "Pash and I have a conundrum for you...you have till December to work it out!

(Image: Rachel Riley/Instagram) (Image: Rachel Riley/Instagram)

"We're over the moon excited."

She and Pasha then eloped to Las Vegas weeks later to secretly tie the knot, announcing it after the deed was done on Instagram .

"Introducing the new Mr and Mrs Kovalev... We both said yes!" the new bride gushed.

But it wasn't completely smooth sailing throughout her pregnancy, as cruel online trolls caused her so much distress that her baby actually stopped kicking for two days.

"I was very stressed and upset for a couple of days, and my baby stopped wriggling for a couple of days. So at that point, it's like, 'You know what, nah'. It's not worth the hormones," she told the Mirror at the time.

(Image: Getty Images) (Image: rachelrileyrr/Instagram)

"I've now changed most of my Twitter settings as you don't need to see them.

"They're not after proper debate. They're not after their minds changing. They’re not doing it for virtuous reasons, so I block them."

She claimed the abuse turned “ugly” after a Panorama documentary aired in July about anti-Semitism within the Labour party.

"Mentally I am strong. I am up for this fight," Rachel added at the time.

"We have to win – it is imperative. I don't feel as if I had any choice. I need to do it.

(Image: rachelrileyrr/Instagram) (Image: RachelRiley/Instagram)

"But when I got pregnant... you have some chocolate, and within minutes the baby is wriggling and kicking. The day I was going for my scan my baby was kicking.

"Being pregnant has highlighted that for me: I don't need this."

Speaking to former EastEnders star Tracy Ann Oberman for her Trolled podcast, she added: “I found out I was pregnant in April and that was around the time of the Boycott Rachel Riley campaign.

"They posted things like: 'You posted about your pregnancy. You are pretending to be a nice normal human.' I am human!

"It's not fun. I get abuse: 'You are just the woman who puts up the numbers on the telly.'

"Absolutely right. I should not have to be doing this. I should not be one of the largest voices. Where are the grown-ups?"

Since then, Riley has been documenting her growing baby bump on Instagram.

During the couple's summer holiday to Spain, she wrote: "he new joys of pregnant married life - Pasha digging me a belly hole on the beach for my bump each day!"

And in July, she joked: "Half-way bump and all brewing nicely! Mother's intuition says it's definitely a girl. Or a boy. Or a cockapoo..."

Sharing a snap of all the presents they'd received for the baby back in October, Rachel wrote: "This baby’s incredibly lucky it’s already been given so many gifts by generous companies and lovely Countdown viewers.

"Pash and I are very grateful and the last people who might need freebies so to pay it forward will be donating to charity as a thank you."

Congratulations, Rachel and Pasha!