Edith reveals pregnancy danger - Feb 6 2008
Pregnant Radio 1 DJ Edith Bowman has told how giving birth could put her life at risk.

The 33-year-old is almost five months pregnant with her first baby but has a serious heart defect which increases her chances of dying in childbirth.

She will require a Caesarean section and doctors must monitor her throughout her pregnancy.

"We get to find out the baby's sex later this month but I'm like, there are really more important things to worry about right now than the colour of baby clothes," Edith told the Evening Standard.

She has a bicuspid aortic value, a condition which puts extra pressure on the heart.

"Basically I need these extra scans early in the pregnancy and I'll have to have a Caesarean because no-one - including my heart specialist - sees the point in putting my heart through unnecessary stress.

"Childbirth carries the risk of causing deterioration in a bicuspid valve, so it's just not a good idea. But I'm not one of these women who is desperate for a natural birth, so I'm fine with it."

She was diagnosed in summer 2004 after suffering palpitations and tiredness while covering the Glastonbury Festival.

"It was shocking, obviously," she said. "But once you get your head around it, you realise there's nothing you can do except try and get on with life."

Edith's partner is Tom Smith, 26-year-old lead singer with indie band Editors.

Radio 1 DJ Edith pregnant - Dec 19 2007
Radio 1 DJ Edith Bowman is expecting her first baby, it has been announced.

The 32-year-old and her partner, Editors lead singer Tom Smith - who began dating in 2005 - described it as "the best Christmas present we could have wished for".

The baby is due next June.

"We are both absolutely delighted," Edith said. "This is the best Christmas present we could have wished for and to say our parents are excited is an understatement."

A spokesman for Edith said: "Edith Bowman and Tom Smith are expecting their first child. The baby is due in June 2008.

"Edith plans to continue with her work commitments for the foreseeable future, while Tom will complete his current worldwide tour with Editors."

Edith presents the afternoon show on Radio 1. The Scottish DJ started out on MTV and hosted Top Of The Pops before its demise.

Edith’s jungle nerves - June 18 2007
Edith Bowman has confessed that she was petrified about going to Cambodia to present a Saving Planet Earth episode dedicated to the plight of Siamese crocodiles in Cambodia.

Despite her excitement about the crocodile conservation project, pre-trip jitters almost got the better of the Radio 1 DJ, and she admits that she had some serious reservations about camping outside in the jungle.

"In my head I’d made myself a bit frightened about spending four days sleeping in a hammock in the jungle, underneath a piece of tarpaulin," she says.

"I’d actually really worked myself up about how horrendous it was going to be but in the end I absolutely loved it, and I had some of the best sleeps I’ve ever had in that hammock which was bizarre - it must have been all that fresh air!

"Also spending time in the local villages and seeing how little they have but how happy they are is really humbling, it really puts everything into perspective.

"I actually took a Polaroid camera with me and took loads of pictures of the little kids and gave them a picture of themselves - most of them had never seen themselves apart from their reflection in the river so their reaction was amazing."