Mariah Carey announces pregnancy

Mariah Carey has announced that she is expecting a baby with husband Nick Cannon.

The singer's pregnancy has been widely rumoured since she pulled out of filming a Tyler Perry movie in June.

"Yes, we are pregnant, this is true!" she told Access Hollywood. "It's been a long journey. It's been tough because I've been trying to hold on to a shred of privacy."

The 40-year-old admitted that speculation had reached the point where she had to confirm the news.

"At this point, there is no choice. I either talk or I hibernate," she said.

The couple said that a miscarriage almost two years ago had made them stronger.

"It kind of shook us both and took us into a place that was really dark and difficult," Carey said. "When that happened... I wasn't able to even talk to anybody about it. That was not easy."

Cannon added: "It definitely brought us closer together. It strengthened our relationship so much. She handled it so well.”

He admitted that they had chosen a name for the baby which is due in the spring.

"The greatest gift on earth is a child," he said. "We’ve had names picked out from the first day we met and we want to stay true to that."