Former X Factor star Ray Quinn shares baby son was ‘born sleeping’

Warning: this article contains discussion of stillbirth and baby loss, which some may find distressing

Musician Ray Quinn has opened up about the ‘heartbreaking’ loss of his and Emily Fletcher's baby son Rio, who was stillborn.

The 38-year-old shared a statement with fans which said his son Rio was ‘born sleeping’ on 20 August at Liverpool Women’s University Hospital.

The actor and performer said his son was a ‘beautiful boy’ in a post shared to Instagram.

"No words will ever be enough, just a lot of indescribable feelings,” he wrote.

The former X Factor star’s statement continued: “The last few weeks have been a lot but our saving grace has been each other."

He thanked staff at Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust and the Honeysuckle Bereavement Service, which provides care for families after baby loss, for their support during ‘the most heartbreaking week of our lives’. He said that staff helped the couple make ‘special memories with our boy to keep forever’.

He added: "When it’s you that goes through such heartbreaking times like this, you soon find out just how much help and support there is out there.

"It’s a whole lot more than you’d ever expect. And it’s truly amazing!

"We talk more about this on our YouTube 'THE QUINNS'.

"This episode was hard to film and was not a decision we took lightly and honestly something we never thought we would be talking about, but it’s real life and by us opening up and talking about this, we hope it helps those out there who find themselves in a similar situation to us."

The couple received support from fans and fellow celebs, including former Coronation Street star Kym Marsh whose son passed away moments after birth in 2009.

“Oh Ray I’m so sorry,” she wrote. “I know this pain only too well. Sending so much love xx."

Quinn and his wife, dance teacher Emily Fletcher, got married in October 2023. The couple have also opened up about their loss in a video shared to YouTube.

Fletcher said: "Pregnancy and having children is a very special thing, but it does have risks and things can happen that you least expect. That's happened to us."

She described the moment a nurse broke the news that no heartbeat could be found during a six-month scan.

"All our hopes and taking our little baby back to our renovated house just crashed before us”, she said.

The couple said they decided to share their story to help ‘those out there who find themselves in a similar situation to us.’

Quinn shares a son with his ex-wife, actress Emma Stephens, and a daughter with his wife.

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