Made In Chelsea’s Ollie & Gareth Are Expecting Twins After 3-Year Journey

Trigger warning: This article discusses pregnancy loss and IVF complications.

Long-time viewers of E4 reality show Made in Chelsea will remember Ollie Locke’s love life struggles all too well. After initially dating women during the early series, the TV star bravely came out, telling his co-stars he was gay. What followed was an honest journey as Locke tried to meet his match, even appearing on Celebs Go Dating in the hopes of doing just that. However, in 2018, Locke started dating his long-time pal Gareth Locke. And no, Gareth didn’t take Ollie’s name, as the pair have the same surname by birth. By September that year, they were engaged, and in Nov. 2020, they got married.

The couple have shared all aspects of their sometimes difficult journey towards becoming parents over the last three years, and in Feb. 2023, they took to Instagram with a very happy update. As the Lockes announce that they’re now expecting twins by surrogate, now is the perfect time to take a look back at Ollie and Gareth’s love story.

May 2018: Instagram Official

Ollie was the first to share their newfound love on Instagram, but initially kept the name of his signifiant other private. Obviously, we all know it’s Gareth now. But at the time, followers knew this mystery man as Ollie’s “only bae.”

July 2018: Spending Time With Family

Gareth tagged Ollie in a post for the first time on July 8, sharing a delightful moment the couple shared with his family. It was clear to see that the relationship, however new, was blossoming well.

September 2018: Engagement Celebrations

After 10 years of being friends, and a few months as a couple, Ollie and Gareth got engaged on Sep. 23, 2018. “At many of the most important life moments he was in the background,” Ollie wrote on Instagram. “Earlier this year, we realised that we had been looking for [what] was standing in front of us all along.” On Sep. 26, Gareth shared a snap of them on holiday in Rome, writing that he’d had the best summer with “my boy” and that it was “topped off by getting engaged to him.”

Gareth popped the question while on a walk in one of Ollie’s favourite places – Kensington Park Gardens in London. He dropped to one knee in front of the Peter Pan statue (another favourite of Ollie’s), gave him a hug and said: “I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I love you. Will you marry me?” as Ollie recalled during an interview with Hello! magazine.

March 2019: #FiancéGoals

Ollie captured a beautiful moment of his little family in March, sharing that he’d ideally want to spend every day “walking on the beach with my fiancé and dog.” For Gareth, he loves a “long walk and a bottle of red wine” on a Sunday with “someone who makes you laugh every moment of the day... even when he’s annoying sometimes.” True love.

November 2019: Wedding Plans

Ollie and Gareth’s wedding plans seemed to be going smoothly in Nov. 2019, but that was before the health crisis hit in March 2020.

September 2020: Wedding Postponed

Having had to postpone their wedding twice, Ollie wrote that he and Gareth were “determined to get married” in 2020 and end the year how they want 2021 to begin — “exceptionally magical, full of love, and with a huge amount of white hydrangeas.”

In the meantime, they took part in the Alzheimer Society’s Memory Walk in honour of Gareth’s mum, who he’s spoken openly about on Made in Chelsea.

November 2020: Wedding & Future Plans

Ollie and Gareth finally got married on Nov. 4, 2020 — managing to tie the knot in London just before restrictions for the second lockdown were put in place.

Prior to getting hitched, the pair reminisced about their relationship and discussed the possibility of having children together during an episode of MIC. “I want to build a life with you in such a huge way and I really believe that having a family would make me the happiest because I know that would make you the happiest, too,” Ollie told Gareth. “I just think you and I being fathers would be the greatest adventure.”

December 2020: Wedding Photos

The newly-married couple shared photos of their wedding exclusively with Hello! magazine on Dec. 13, 2020. Ollie and Gareth got married in London’s Natural History Museum, being the second wedding to take place there and the venue’s first gay marriage. The couple exchanged their vows in front of 13 guests, which included MIC’s Tiffany Watson, Lydia Bright, singer Ella Eyre, and Pearl Mackie. MIC stars Binky Felstead and Olivia Bentley were bridesmaids.

Having planned the event in just two days so they could get married before the second lockdown began, Ollie described the “magical, almost gothic” aura surrounding the event to Hello! magazine. “There was something very Dickensian about it,” he said. “It was something I will remember for the rest of my life and it was perfect,” Gareth added. The wedding eventually aired on E4 on Dec. 14.

March 2021: Starting A Family

In March 2021, Ollie and Gareth began their journey to becoming parents. Sharing the news on Instagram, Ollie said that “whatever happens and through the ups and downs, we are going to take you all on our journey.”

Ollie opened up about their decision further during an interview with Sunday Times Style on March 21. Having considered adoption, Ollie expressed how he wanted his “own biological child.” But if for some reason he and Gareth can’t conceive, “of course we can discuss it,” he said. “But surrogacy is our plan first.”

As for who’s sperm would be used, Ollie revealed that they’d left it up to chance. “It’ll be whoever’s swims best on the day and we’ll never know,” he said. “Although if it comes out with yellow hair, it’ll be Gareth’s.”

June 2021: Sharing Their Surrogacy Journey

In June 2021, the couple’s surrogacy journey officially began. Ollie shared a video of the “very moment our eggs were fertilised,” adding that “in nine months time, after being looked after by a very wonderful human, we hope to be able to show you what he or she looks like, and how much love we have to give.”

July 2021: Heartbreaking News

Sadly, the couple’s first attempt at IVF didn’t work. “Doing surrogacy and IVF is not a straight forward thing and there are a lot of ups and downs and testing times that really make you appreciate what it means to achieve the end result of having children,” Ollie explained on Instagram.

October 2021: Sharing Their IVF Loss On MIC

In October 2021, the moment Ollie and Gareth learned of their pregnancy loss aired on MIC. It was a heartbreaking scene to watch, but the couple worked through it together and reassured the surrogate that it wasn’t her fault. “The adventure continues,” Ollie added. “I promise, we’ll get there.”

December 2021: Another Loss

In December 2021, the couple experienced another loss on their IVF journey. Ollie and Gareth’s surrogate became pregnant in early November, but she sadly lost the baby. “This is not going to be the end of the road,” Ollie wrote on Instagram. “In fact, we have some wonderful plans and we continue to move forward towards the remarkable gift of fatherhood.”

Ollie also revealed that he’ll do whatever it takes to make IVF and surrogacy an easier process in the UK. “The rules which haven’t been reassessed for over 30 years are wildly unfair, currently firmly against gay equality and beyond archaic,” he said. “I will do everything in my power to open up the conversation of a modernisation in legislation change.”

January 2022: Celebrity Hunted

Celebrity Hunted Season 4 kicked off on Jan. 30, 2022, with Ollie and Gareth trying their hardest to evade the hunters whilst raising money for Stand Up To Cancer. They eventually got caught, but gave a throughly entertaining attempt at being on the run.

July 2022: Celebrating Pride Month

Gareth marked Pride Month in July 2022 by sharing his experience of being part of the LGBTQI+ community, and the honour of being included on the Pride Power List.

Opening up about his personal journey, he told his Instagram followers: “I didn’t come out until I was 28 and went through a long road of struggles coming to terms with the person I am. Without the efforts of those before us, who helped fight for community rights and achieved a world where I could marry my now husband and have equal choices where not too long ago they didn’t exist, it would have been a lot harder.”

August 2022: The Couple’s TV Return

The MIC gang reunited on E4 for the summer mini series Made In Mallorca. Proving their relationship is as strong as ever, Ollie and Gareth were on hand to give their pals relationship advice. Whilst shopping for baby clothes with his pregnant co-star Maeva D'Ascanio, Ollie once again opened up about his and Gareth’s journey to parenthood, revealing they were not giving up and would continue to try all available avenues.

February 2023: The Couple Share Baby Joy

After bravely sharing their journey to parenthood over the last three years, Ollie and Gareth Locke took to Instagram on Feb. 26 with a very happy update. “We are beyond delighted to finally be able to share the news that we are expecting twin baby Locke-Locke’s into the world this summer!” the Made In Chelsea star wrote, alongside a montage video showing a positive pregnancy test, ultrasound scans, and their adorable reactions the first time their surrogate Rebecca shared the incredible news over video call.

“Thank you to our sensational surrogate Rebecca for being the most incredible human, the love we have for you and your family is just another level!” Ollie wrote, paying tribute.

Ollie’s Made In Chelsea co-stars including Binky Felstead, Emily Blackwell, Olivia Bentley, Rosie Fortescue and Miles Nazaire all flocked to the comments section to share their congratulations and well wishes – along with Carrie Johnson, the wife of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson. “Ollie!!! This is the happiest news ever!” she wrote. “Congratulations! So pleased for you. Let’s get drinks to celebrate.”