Should I have children? Ellie Simmonds on genetic disability diagnoses
Happy Place
Fearne Cotton
4.6 • 15.2K Ratings
🗓️ 19 May 2025
⏱️ 67 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
What beliefs, hopes, worries, and questions would you have if your unborn baby was given a diagnosis of a disability? It’s something retired paralympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds has spent a lot of time considering.
In this chat with Fearne, Ellie explains what she’s learnt from talking to both her parents and her birth mum about their experience of her dwarfism, as well as debating the pros and cons of modern genetic testing.
They also chat about Ellie’s decision to retire from swimming: how will you know when it’s time to call something quits, and how can you then cultivate new passions? Plus, how to untangle self-worth and self-esteem from achievements...
Ellie Simmonds: Should I Have Children? will be available to watch on ITV from the 27th of May.
CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains frank chat about baby loss and abortion, so do take care while listening.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Before we start, this episode contains some conversations you might find difficult to hear. |
| 0:05.5 | So do check the show notes for more details. |
| 0:08.8 | Hello, a massive welcome to Happy Place with me, Fern Cotton. |
| 0:13.3 | This is the show that doesn't shy away from tough conversations. |
| 0:17.3 | Today, I'm chatting to Ellie Simmons. |
| 0:19.7 | We don't know the future and yes majority of couples |
| 0:23.1 | pregnancy happens and it's magical and it's amazing but also it might not be that too. It might be |
| 0:30.7 | you find something about yourself or your baby that is not what you expect it. So if me and my partner |
| 0:37.1 | both have the dwarfism gene, |
| 0:39.1 | we both give the dwarf gene to the baby, |
| 0:41.4 | it could be double dose, |
| 0:42.8 | which means the baby won't survive |
| 0:44.7 | because the lungs and the bones don't grow. |
| 0:48.1 | So I could give birth to it, but the baby wouldn't survive. |
| 0:51.1 | So look, a couple of weeks ago, |
| 0:52.4 | we had Liberty Mills on the show, and she was talking all |
| 0:55.6 | about her experience trying to conceive because she desperately wanted another baby in her 40s. |
| 1:02.0 | And this week, I'm talking to retired Paralympic swimmer, Ellie Simmons, about the prospect |
| 1:07.6 | of having kids too, but from a very different angle. |
| 1:12.6 | I absolutely love Ellie. |
| 1:15.6 | She is such a joy. |
| 1:16.8 | We've worked together before. |
... |
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