Former X Factor star Ray Quinn announces son Rio was stillborn

Former X Factor star Ray Quinn has announced his son Rio was stillborn on August 20.

The singer, 38, who was runner-up on the 2006 series, shared a black and white photo of himself and his wife Emily as they held their son in hospital.

Alongside the photo, he wrote: “’RIO QUINN’ Our beautiful boy, born Sleeping .. 20th August 2026.

“No words will ever be enough, just a lot of indescribable feelings.

“Heaven gained the most beautiful little Angel and we were overjoyed when Rio was born and we found out we had a little boy!!

“The last few weeks have been a lot but our saving grace has been each other.”

Quinn thanked the Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust and the Honeysuckle Bereavement Service, which provides care for women and their families after baby bereavement.

He wrote: “We just want to say a special thanks to Becky, Rebecca, Ali, Marie, Sarah & Lorraine @liverpoolwomens and to the HoneySuckle team you go above and beyond, and although it was the most heartbreaking week of our lives you created some of the most beautiful moments and we have such special memories with our boy to keep forever.. Thank you!

“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 words of support from former Coronation Street star Kym Marsh, whose son Archie died moments after birth in 2009.

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

Quinn and his wife, who married in 2023, are also parents to four-year-old daughter Summer Reign.

The singer also shares son Harry, born in 2012, with his ex-wife Emma Stephens, who he split from in 2015.

After The X Factor, Quinn released his debut album, Doing It My Way, in 2007.

He later appeared on Dancing On Ice and had a recurring role on Hollyoaks from 2018 to 2019.