Lacey Turner is "ready" for motherhood.
The ‘EastEnders’ star has been with her partner Matt Kay since she was 15 years old – and is now engaged to be married – and is hoping to settle down and start a family with him in the near future.
She said: "I’m ready for motherhood and I want four children – Matt wants three. We need something a bit more exciting in our lives!"
Matt – who has two dogs with Lacey – added: "We need a different excuse other than the dogs to not go out! I’m ready too, I felt really broody when my nephew was born four years ago."
The couple got engaged in September during a trip to Venice, Italy, and, although they’ve been together since their teens, the brunette beauty had no idea Matt was planning to pop the question.
She explained: "For one second I thought, ‘Is this a joke?’ There were loads of people on the bridge clapping. I can’t believe I didn’t have my nails done.
"My hair was also a mess and I was wearing a leopard-print dress! But I said yes straight away, of course! Although, as we cuddled afterwards the gondola tipped a bit and we nearly fell off.
"I wasn’t that bothered about marriage but two of my best friends have got engaged in the past year and, with all the wedding talk, I thought, maybe I do want one. So I went on and on to Matt about it, but he’d say there was no point. In the end I didn’t think it was going to happen."
But once he did get down on one knee, Lacey couldn’t stop crying and stayed up until 3am that night to phone round all of her friends to share the good news with them.
She told OK! magazine: "I was sobbing after Matt proposed – it was such a shock. We stayed up until about 3am as it was such a big adrenaline rush. We were so exciting, ringing around all our friends and family."