Anthony Quinlan shares baby name ‘shortlist’ as Nikki Sanderson’s imminent due date revealed

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By Fabio Magnocavallo

23 Apr 2026, 11:04

By Fabio Magnocavallo

23 Apr 2026, 11:04

Anthony Quinlan, who played Pete Barton in Emmerdale, has exclusively revealed when his partner Nikki Sanderson is due to give birth to their baby son.

The 41-year-old announced he and the former Corrie star were expecting their first child last December. “Merry Christmas from the 3 of us. Baby Quinlan due Spring 2026,” the pair shared on Instagram.

Anthony Quinlan reveals Nikki Sanderson’s baby due date

However, in an exclusive interview with Emmerdale Insider, on behalf of Which Bingo, Anthony revealed Nikki is due in the next few days.

Admitting there were a “few issues in the first trimester”, Anthony said her second trimester was “brilliant”. Not in the third, Nikki has become “more and more uncomfortable”.

“It’s impending any day now. The due date was the 25th of April. We’ve got everything ready — hospital bags, the lot. We’re both eagerly anticipating his grand arrival. We cannot wait,” he continued.

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As Anthony prepares to become a first-time dad, he said he is “absolutely elated” to be a father.

“When we found out the sex, I felt a real connection that made everything feel more real. I could feel the kicks and movements, watch the bump growing all the time. It’s just magical. I was longing for more of that connection and then I finally got it. I can’t tell you how much you can love something before it’s even here,” he said.

“I’m sure it’s going to be even harder to describe once he arrives. I don’t think, unless it’s actually your own child, you can ever understand it. I’m a complete mummy’s boy myself — I’m 41 now and my mum is my queen. I really want that for Nick, too. I’m sure he’s going to be a mummy’s boy, and I can’t wait. And at some point, I’ll have someone to share the trials and tribulations of watching Man United with.”

‘I do love traditional names’

Recently, many of Anthony’s co-stars, from Mike Parr and Amy Walsh to Isabelle Hodgins, have been having babies, which he said was “great to see”.

However, he revealed fellow soap star Jamie Lomas has also been there to reach out to.

“He recently had little Bella and she’s absolutely stunning, such a great little character. He’s always there for advice if I ever need it. He’s a great dad and a great friend. But ultimately you’ve got to make your own way, haven’t you? All anyone ever says is: enjoy your sleep,” he said.

Despite Nikki’s due date being so soon, the couple have not settled on a name for their son yet. However, Anthony admitted they have a “shortlist of three or four”.

“I do love traditional names — there’s something about them. Though there are probably seven or eight kids with the same traditional name in every school now, which makes it tricky,” he explained.

“Interestingly, girl names came a lot more easily than boy names for us — they came much more naturally. But we’ve got a few shortlisted and we’re going to wait until he’s here to see which one fits. It’s very exciting.”

Read more: As Pete’s attacked off-screen, is Anthony Quinlan returning? All we know