Cher Lloyd has announced that she is expecting her first baby.

The former X Factor star – who married her boyfriend Craig Monk in 2013 – posted a picture on Instagram of her cradling her baby bump, revealing that her new arrival is due in May.

I know it seems like I’ve been quiet for a while but I wanted to take this opportunity to bring you all up to speed on what I’ve been up to over the last year. I decided to take some time away from the public eye to focus on what really matters and get back to what I truly love doing. As you all know, making music and singing is where it all began for me, it’s what makes me truly happy, and I wanted to get back to that happy place once again, enter the studio and focus on simply making great music for you all. I’m so happy to announce that I now have a collection of amazing new songs (that I cannot wait to share with you all!), but also, there’s another reason why I’m writing to you today and that’s because I am beyond thrilled to inform you all that my husband Craig and I are also expecting our first child in May!!! We are absolutely over the moon to share this news with you all. I am so excited to enter this new chapter in my life, surrounded by family I love, a supportive team around me and with music I’ve worked super hard on and am so excited and proud to reveal to you later in the year. And now we're going to have a little baby to enjoy this experience with us along the way! Thank you all for being so patient, as you now know, I’ve been a busy little bee but I promise it’ll be worth the wait! I’m excited for all that 2018 has in store for me and I can’t wait to see you all very soon! Cher x

A post shared by Cher Lloyd (@cherlloyd) on

“I am beyond thrilled to inform you all that my husband Craig and I are also expecting our first child in May!!!” she told her 2.1 million followers on the site.

“We are absolutely over the moon to share this news with you all.”

The singer started her lengthy post by saying she had taken time out of the spotlight to focus on making music again.

She said: “I know it seems like I’ve been quiet for a while but I wanted to take this opportunity to bring you all up to speed on what I’ve been up to over the last year.

“I decided to take some time away from the public eye to focus on what really matters and get back to what I truly love doing.

“As you all know, making music and singing is where it all began for me, it’s what makes me truly happy, and I wanted to get back to that happy place once again, enter the studio and focus on simply making great music for you all.”

She said as well as “a collection of amazing new songs”, there was another reason for her post, and announced her baby news.

Lloyd, 24, continued: “I am so excited to enter this new chapter in my life, surrounded by family I love, a supportive team around me and with music I’ve worked super hard on and am so excited and proud to reveal to you later in the year. And now we’re going to have a little baby to enjoy this experience with us along the way!

“Thank you all for being so patient, as you now know, I’ve been a busy little bee but I promise it’ll be worth the wait!

“I’m excited for all that 2018 has in store for me and I can’t wait to see you all very soon!”

Lloyd finished in fourth place in the X Factor in 2010.