Kaplinsky to make 'phased' return to work

Five's news presenter Natasha Kaplinsky is to make a "phased" return to work after giving birth to a baby four-and-a-half months ago, the channel has said. The 36-year-old newsreader moved to Five from the BBC after signing a deal reported to be worth £1 million. Ms Kaplinksy's first broadcast attracted one million viewers - almost double the usual audience - but after six weeks in her new job she announced that she was pregnant.

When she left she was being watched by 665,000 viewers for the main 5pm bulletin -and viewing figures kept on rising after she went on maternity leave, by almost 25 per cent.

After giving birth to baby son Arlo in September, Ms Kaplinksy will be returning to work part-time, presenting one bulletin instead of two when she comes back on air on February 16th.

She will read only the 5pm bulletin and miss the 7pm slot, so that she can go home and put Arlo to bed.

A source told the Daily Mail: "She's just like any other mother and wants to ease herself in gently.

"She hasn't been off for that long, she's completely in love with Arlo and obviously wants to be able to put him to bed and get him into that routine."