When it comes to kids, Ferndale’s Monique Strutter is not a fan. The Shortland Street operations manager’s aversion to babies has impacted relationships and even seen her get her tubes tied. But the same can’t be said for the actress who plays her, Courtenay Louise, who is delighted to be expecting her first child after five years on Aotearoa’s favourite TV soap.
The star, 31, laughs, “Monique hates children, so every time there’s a baby on set, I have to hold back from going, ‘Can I hold them?’ because as Courtenay, I love babies! But I’ve learnt a lot about patience from working with them – you need a lot of it when you’re on your 10th take of a scene because the baby won’t be quiet!”
As the 2022 Celebrity Treasure Island finalist and her husband, Chris Read, 33, excitedly share their pregnancy news with Woman’s Day. There’s only one moment during our chat where the bubbly actress pulls a Monique-style grimace – when she thinks about changing nappies! The couple is otherwise ecstatically counting down to their little one’s arrival in spring.
It’s the latest in a string of milestones Courtenay and Chris have celebrated since sharing their stunning clifftop nuptials with our readers just over a year ago. Buying a house and starting a family were always on the cards, but first they adventured through Europe on a three-week honeymoon. Which saw them exploring Rome, Paris, Tuscany and all the Game Of Thrones backdrops of Croatia.
“It was the most incredible experience of our entire lives,” says Courtenay, pointing out artwork they brought in Montepulciano. “Once a week, we say to each other, ‘I wish we could go back.’”
The only hard part was when Chris stayed on overseas for work and Courtenay had to return home alone.
“That was sad,” she admits.
“I was crying in the taxi to the airport.”
As 2025 neared, the couple started trying for a baby, but Courtenay didn’t think too much of it when a pregnancy test showed an “almost invisible” blue line while she was visiting family in Tauranga over Christmas. Chris encouraged her to take another test once she got home.
Courtenay recalls, “It came back positive and I just screamed!”
Chris was thrilled, while Courtenay’s mum Charmaine Hampton, who had already been buying blankets and toys for a future grandchild, was so pleasantly stunned, she asked, “Are you pranking me?”
The following months were challenging as Courtenay battled daily sickness while working on Shorty. Where she only told her news to bestie Jane Wills, who plays Dr Phil Grayson. She recalls, “I was super-sick and trying to hide it. It was like clockwork – I’d get nauseous around 4pm, then be throwing up from 8pm to 11pm.”
Courtenay’s feijoa addiction, meanwhile, took a dire turn as they suddenly made her vomit. Not that it stopped her!
Chris laughs, “She knew they’d make her sick but was like, ‘I want to eat feijoas!’”
After getting through the early months, Courtenay says her second trimester was the best as she felt “invincible, happy and good”. She’s now feeling heavy and tired in her third trimester, and is glad
to have wrapped filming the 2025 season of Shorty. Chris, who’s the CFO of nutrition company The Pure Food Co, proudly notes how Courtenay tackled filming while pregnant like an “absolute champ” and still found time to hit the gym.
Of course, it’s partly thanks to “incredible” Chris that Courtenay’s impressively soldiered on.
“Since day one, I’ve been so lucky to have Christopher,” she smiles.
“I didn’t set foot in the kitchen for 20 weeks because he made every meal. I haven’t been to the grocery store for months! Every time I was throwing up, he was there holding my hair back. I feel very grateful and it’s made our relationship so strong.”
Courtenay grins she loves her husband even more than ever now, adding, “As a woman, your hormones go up and down throughout your cycle, and you feel crazy sometimes. Chris used to joke there would be one week out of the month that I would like him!”
Chris insists it was “just a friendly joke”, but Courtenay chuckles, “It’s OK. Women will get it. But I’ve been consistently so happy throughout the entire pregnancy. I don’t ever feel moody. It’s wild!”
Another key supporter has been Courtenay’s pal and former Shorty co-star Rebekah Randell, who welcomed her adorable daughter Isla with husband Bevan Randell in 2023. Courtenay’s “super-excited” their children will be close in age and is following Rebekah’s lead in not finding out her baby’s sex.
“She said it was the most incredible experience of her entire life when Bevan said, ‘It’s a girl!’ I’d love a little girl, but a little boy would be so much fun. I just want them to be healthy.”
Courtenay’s already envisioning taking bubba home to meet her other loves – her cats Alfie and Delilah. “I’m picturing bringing baby in for the first time and the cats going up to sniff them. Hopefully it’s pleasant and they’re not mean!”
While overjoyed to start a new chapter, Courtenay admits parenthood makes her nervous.
“I tend to see all the exciting, glossy stuff and don’t think about changing nappies, having no sleep or potentially having a baby that’s screaming for hours on end,” she says.
“It’s also going to be tough on our relationship, but we’ve got a strong one, so I believe we’ll be fine. It won’t be a walk in the park, but I’m going in with a positive mindset.”
Courtenay reckons her husband will be a “kind, gentle, supportive father”. While Chris predicts his wife will be “the fun mum” who encourages their child to be ambitious.
“I’ll be fun, but also quite tough,” smiles Courtenay.
“When Chris and I met, I didn’t even know how to load a washing machine, so I’ll be making my kids do the dishes, mow the lawn and paint the roof from three years old!”
But before they get their toddler painting the house, they’ll need to a find a new one. Having bought a home in December, they now want more space and a backyard for the baby’s arrival. So they’ve sold the property.
Courtenay jokes she’s “pregnant, homeless and unemployed” while the Shorty cast members await news on whether further seasons of the TVNZ soap will be funded.
However, she’s confident she and Chris will be fine whatever happens. Having celebrated their first wedding anniversary with a staycation in April, they’ve now been together for 11 years. Chris believes the key to their longevity is being great friends.
“Friendship’s what you should look for because that’s what you can build a relationship on,” he says.
“If you can’t have fun just cooking dinner or enjoying the boring stuff together as friends, everything else isn’t sustainable.”
