Morning Live star Xand van Tulleken has shared the moment his wife called him mid-show to say she had gone into labour.
The GP and resident health expert on the BBC daytime hit, was filming an episode of his podcast ‘What’s Up Docs’ with his brother Christoffer when he received the news.
As the pair spoke, his phone went off before he interrupted and said: ‘Sorry, sorry, sorry it’s gotta be on.’
His wife Dolly could be heard saying: ‘So I think I’m pretty sure it’s starting. I’m just feeling quite sort of… not massively frequent but quite regular period painy feelings that were very similar to what I had when you got home when I went into labour with Rex [their son].
She continued: ‘So I think it would be good if you came home.’
With Xand being a doctor, he reassured his wife on the phone, telling her: ‘You’re getting waves of contractions essentially.’
Morning Live star Xand van Tulleken has shared the moment his wife called him mid-show to say she had gone into labour
The GP and resident health expert on the BBC daytime hit, was filming an episode of his podcast ‘What’s Up Docs’ with his brother Christoffer when he received the news
Xand’s wife Dolly had shared a post on December 5 announcing the birth of their daughter, revealing she arrived on November 27, 2025
He turned to his brother and said: ‘Chris we’re now 41 weeks plus one, Dolly’s having regular period pain’ before his brother interrupted.
Christoffer joked: ‘Why are you still speaking? I think you’ve gotta leave!’
Xand then got up and left the studio to be at his wife’s side for the birth of his third child.
In a follow up video in the same clip, Xand held his daughter Daphne in his arms and said: ‘So I got home in good time, having sprinted from the studio but Dolly was in labour and our daughter Daphne was born at home at 10:30 that night.
‘She is doing brilliantly, her mum is doing brilliantly, she is absolutely perfect and I will show you [her feet], nothing nicer than a newborn baby’s feet. There you go, look at those feet!’
While the clip was only posted on Saturday, Xand’s wife Dolly had shared a post on December 5 announcing the birth of their daughter, revealing she arrived on November 27, 2025.
Alongside snaps of the newborn, Dolly penned: ‘Our daughter Daphne Rita Adora van Tulleken was born on the 27th November 2025 at 10:30pm at home between the fire and the Christmas tree (decorated the night before!)
‘Thank you to the loveliest, most efficient team of midwives who also got me safely to the hospital afterwards to get my placenta removed before getting us back home to enjoy the milky newborn cuddles and for Daphne to meet her big bro Rex!’
Xand quickly jumped up from his seat and abandoned the podcast recording to be by his wife’s side for the birth of their child
In a follow up video in the same clip, Xand held his daughter Daphne in his arms and said: ‘So I got home in good time, having sprinted from the studio but Dolly was in labour and our daughter Daphne was born at home at 10:30 that night’
In 2024, Xand and Dolly welcomed a son together, Rex Patrick Anthony van Hoogenhouck-Tulleken.
Xand also has another child, Julian, from a previous relationship, who lives in Canada with his mother.
The doctor and his wife tied the knot last May, as BBC Morning Live shared the news alongside a beaming snap of the pair.
They wrote at the time: ‘Huge congratulations to @avantulleken & @dolitics who got married yesterday in London! ❤️ The whole Morning Live team send our love! Leave a comment for the happy couple!’
Dr Xand is already a father to his son Julian who lives in Canada with his mum.
Speaking about being a parent back in 2021 in a piece for The Guardian, he said of his son: ‘He’s the best and most significant thing that has ever happened to me.
‘He was also very much an unexpected surprise. I had a short relationship with his mum; we parted ways on great terms.
‘Then one day out of the blue I got a call from North Korea, where she was working. She was pregnant. I was based in England, and she lived in Canada.’
Dr Xand lived in North America for the first 10 years of his son’s life before moving back to London.
