(Getty)

The Ugly Betty actress is expecting her first child with her actor husband Terence Beesley, with the new arrival due in the autumn.

The 39-year-old star is very “excited” at the prospect of becoming a mother.

Ashley played Scottish seamstress Christina McKinney in the hit US TV show, with the last series seeing her character getting pregnant.

She is currently working on new show Accidentally on Purpose, which is about a woman who unexpectedly discovers she is expecting a baby.

Ashley and Terence married in California in 2007 after six years of dating.

They currently live in Los Angeles with their dog Barney, but also have homes in London and Italy.

She has made no secret of her desire to have a child, saying: “It would be great! I think I’d really like it.”