Wayne Brady’s Ex ‘Concerned’ About His Mental Health After Surprise Baby (Exclusive)
Wayne Brady’s ex-wife had one thing in mind when she learned that he was going to be a father again.
In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Brady shared about the time he told his ex-wife and best friend Mandie Taketa, 48, that he was expecting a baby with his ex-girlfriend Tina. Brady is already dad to daughter Maile, 21, whom he shares with Taketa.
“I was more concerned for Wayne’s mental health because that was not a good time. It was a struggle to begin with,” Taketa tells PEOPLE of learning that Brady was going to be a dad again.
“And so it was that on top of everything. I mean, we had just come back from mom’s funeral together and then this news was dropped, and so that’s my first concern was just weighing his health.”
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Brady received the news that his ex-girlfriend was pregnant several weeks after the family had returned from Brady’s grandmother Valerie’s funeral in the Virgin Islands. When the baby boy was born, he was named Val Henry.
“I know this little one is going to be loved and is a blessing and a miracle,” Taketa says.
For more on Wayne Brady, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday, or subscribe here.
“Oh, he’s in the village now,” Brady adds.
“Yeah. I mean I’m just like, ‘The more, the merrier. This family is going to grow. I’m telling you.’ I’m a Pisces and I just know. But yeah, I was concerned,” Taketa explains.
When Brady first learned that he was expecting another baby, the actor, who discusses the revelation in the series premiere of his new Freeform reality show Wayne Brady: The Family Remix, says he was surprised.
“I was shocked,” he tells PEOPLE. “I asked the silly question that I think many men since the beginning of time have asked. ’How?’ You know how! So get past it.”
But the star shared that he’s adamant his son grows up knowing that he’s loved by everyone in his life.
“I never want Val to grow up thinking that he should be ashamed or look back and go, ‘Oh, my dad didn’t want me,’ or he was ashamed of me. Because I want him, in his own way, to know that I love him as much as I love Maile, who is of me and that I had a part in creating,” he continues. “So I had to do that work.”
Wayne Brady: The Family Remix airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on Freeform and the next day on Hulu.
link