Keke Palmer: who is partner Darius Jackson as actress reveals pregnancy on SNL, what did he say on Instagram?

Keke Palmer has announced she is pregnant on Saturday Night Live (SNL).

The Hustlers actress was hosting the famous comedy sketch show for the first time and took the opportunity to address some online “rumours” that she was expecting.

Wearing a blazer over her cropped shirt and jacket, Palmer said: “There’s some rumours going around, people have been in my comments saying, ‘Keke’s having a baby, Keke’s pregnant,’ and I wanna set the record straight — I am.”

Describing her pregnancy as “the biggest blessing” the 29-year-old actress has reportedly been in a relationship with Darius Jackson since 2021. The couple are private about their relationship and tend not to post photos or videos of one another on their social media

So, who is Keke Palmer’s partner and what has he said about the announcement? Here’s everything you need to know.

Who is Darius Jackson?

Darius Daulton Jackson is the younger brother of Sarunas Jackson who starred in the Issa Rae series “Insecure”, Palmer also appeared in the series but in different episodes. The 28-year-old personal trainer and aspiring actor described Palmer as “a blessing from above” in a now deleted post on social media for her birthday.

He added: “Never would have expected summer 2021 to turn out the way it did, but here we are. I’m glad we were able to help each other throughout our lowest of times & show one another that what we are bringing to the table is everything that we got.”

When did Darius Jackson and Keke Palmer start dating?

The Hustlers actress and personal trainer reportedly first started dating in 2021, with the couple allegedly meeting at a Memorial Day Party. Palmer announced their relationship in August of that year by posting a picture of them together on her Instagram account.

The couple keep their relationship private and out of the private eye, in an interview with Harper’s Bazaar in March 2022 Palmer explained: “I’ve always had the same philosophy when it comes to dating. Not that I wouldn’t give someone a try. But trying to keep my private life outside of my work life, to me, it’s easiest when you don’t date someone with the same career. … I think a lot about, like, does this person really like me for me? And it’s not just romantic relationships. It’s friends too. That wavering, that’s the most traumatic thing about fame.”

How did Keke Palmer announce her pregnancy?

Palmer announced her pregnancy during her first stint at hosting SNL on Saturday 3 December. Wearing a blazer over her cropped shirt and jacket, Palmer said: “There’s some rumours going around, people have been in my comments saying, ‘Keke’s having a baby, Keke’s pregnant,’ and I wanna set the record straight — I am.”

Palmer added: “I mean, like, I was trying so hard to keep it on the down low, ‘cause I got a lot of stuff going on, you know?” People kept coming up to me [and saying,] ‘Congratulations.’ I’m like, ‘Sssh, can y’all stop, I got a liquor sponsorship on the line. Let the check clear and then we can get to the damn baby shower!’”

She continued: “But, honestly this has been the biggest blessing, and I am so excited. Guys, I’m going to be a mom! Even though some people feel a little weird about me having a baby ‘cause I was a child actor, I just wanna say, ‘Look, I’m 29, I’m grown, I have sex [and] I own a home. … You know, things adults do.’”

What has Darius Jackson said?

Following the announcement on SNL, Jackson shared a picture of Palmer and her baby bump on his Instagram Stories alongside the caption “2023”, with a heart emoji.

The couple are private about their relationship and tend not to post photos or videos of one another on their social media. Palmer has previously shared videos of Jackson in the past, but in March 2022 she deleted them, prompting rumours that the pair had split up.

In November 2022 during an appearance on The Tamron Hall Show she explained why she’d taken the photos down saying: “I’m really one of those people that very much so keep it on the Beyoncé tip of just keeping everything lowkey.”

Adding: “It became more difficult to hide. We spend all this time together, and he really is my closest friend, so it just becomes a thing where I’m not gonna hide something that makes me happy. It’s not gonna be everything you see, my job is my job, but at the end of the day this is somebody that is important to me so why not.”