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She has delighted fans by announcing she is expecting her first baby, and now bittersweet details about former Australian Idol star Casey Donovan’s personal journey can be revealed.
Casey, 38, and her fiancee Renee Sharples conceived via IVF – suffering heartache along the way – but on October 3 they shared the news they are expecting a baby in February 2027.
“Renee and I are so thankful for all of your beautiful love and supporting messages,” Casey shared in a video message to fans on October 6.
“We have gone through them. We have read them. We have laughed. We have cried. We have deleted and blocked. But we have just been completely over the moon, and we cannot thank you enough for all of your love and support.”
It hasn’t been an easy ride for Casey – who shared back in 2017 that she would “love to have a child within the next two years”.
At the time she was single, and while she went on to find love with partner Renee, work commitments meant finding time to embark on IVF to make her dream of becoming a mother come true was a struggle.
“Life doesn’t slow down for women, or anyone in general. But when you’re trying to calculate IVF, drugs, injections, live music, writing, you just somehow managed to fit it in,” the star told News.com.au in November 2025.
Fast forward almost a year and after an unsuccessful IVF round, Casey – who suffers from polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), formerly known as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) – told the Herald Sun she is “feeling so many emotions” about actually falling pregnant.
“I’ve been told since I was a young girl that falling pregnant was going to be a massive issue or if it would ever happen at all, so I went into this going, ‘It’s not going to work, nothing’s going to’,” the star admitted.
“I was told it may be difficult to conceive a child, hold a child and, yeah, give birth. I still don’t believe it.”
Indeed, a source tells Woman’s Day that there’s been “plenty for Casey and Renee to process” as they approach the next stage of their lives – but it’s a chapter they’re feeling “genuinely happy and excited about”.
“They’re thrilled about becoming parents and they also understand just how much their lives are about to change,” the insider shares.
“They want to experience that transition as a team and support each other through whatever comes their way.”
Certainly, Renee told the Herald Sun that Casey had “done amazing”, juggling work commitments with pregnancy so far – and it appear’s there’s no slowing down for the star who has a new single – aptly called My Baby & Me – out on October 9.
“Casey’s career is continuing to move forward, with new music keeping her busy, but becoming a family is her biggest priority,” a source tells Woman’s Day.
“She’s conscious that this is a once-in-a-lifetime period and wants to be present for it, rather than allowing her professional commitments to overshadow what’s happening personally.”
With the baby due in February, the insider says Casey and Renee are “putting plans in place” and getting ready for the arrival.
“They’re not putting pressure on themselves to have every detail sorted or create a picture-perfect setup,” the source goes on.
“What matters most is having a peaceful, loving home where their little one can grow up feeling happy and secure.
“They’ve spent a lot of time talking about the kind of life they hope to build once their baby is here. There’s a real sense of anticipation about becoming parents and starting this new chapter together, even though they know they’ll be learning as they go,” the source adds.
“With February approaching fast, they’re making a conscious effort to enjoy this final stretch of time and take in these moments before their world changes in the best possible way.”
