Carol Malia back on our tv screens after maternity leave

Mar 28 2010 by Sara Nichol, Sunday Sun

TV GOLDEN girl Carol Malia will return to our screens tomorrow . . . and she can't wait to be back in the hot seat.

But the BBC Look North presenter, who has been on maternity leave since giving birth, has admitted it will be tough leaving nine-month-old daughter Anna and missing out on some bedtimes.

Instead, husband Gary Hudson, who will be home from work earlier than Carol, will be putting little Anna to bed while the popular newsreader takes her place back in the newsroom hot seat.

On Friday, Carol, 41, was back in the BBC studios for the first time in 10 months and she told the Sunday Sun it felt like she’d never been away.

She said: “I didn’t know how I was going to feel coming back into the studios but, even though the whole layout of the studio has changed, it feels like I’ve never been away.

“It feels like a long time ago since Anna was tiny but it doesn’t feel like it’s that long since I’ve been at work.

“I’m looking forward to getting back on air. I’m hoping I can still read the auto-script as my eyesight has taken a turn for the worse.

“I’m coming back Monday to Thursday, but that is flexible. I’ll usually be starting at 2pm and finishing not long after 7pm, which means I’ll miss bed time.

“That is one of the worst things. I’ll have to deal with the fact I won’t be the regular person who puts her to bed.

“Dad will be there doing that instead. I’m going to miss the baby groups and doing those sort of activities.

“My mum and dad are going to help look after her while Gary and I are at work, which puts my mind more at ease because we know them and Anna knows them.”