Just four days after premiering her new network TV drama, Eve Myles is rounding off a momentous week – by getting married to her long-term boyfriend.

The Torchwood star and actor Bradley Freegard have flown to Italy for Saturday afternoon's intimate wedding ceremony.

The only other guest will be their three-year-old daughter Matilda but they are planning a big celebration party back in Wales for their family and friends.

“We’ve put the wedding off three times because of work so now it’s finally happening,” the 34-year-old told WalesOnline before leaving her South Wales home to travel to the secret Italian location.

“But it’s our priority this year and we’re really excited that it’s finally happening. It will just be the three of us on the day, which is how we wanted it.”

The couple are staying in a boutique hotel and will pledge their vows to each other during a late afternoon ceremony at a nearby abbey.

“I love Italian food and I love Italian people,” she said of their decision to marry in Italy.

“It will be a really nice break – I’ve been working so hard until yesterday so it will be a holiday, honeymoon and wedding rolled into one.”

Originally from Ystradgynlais, Eve – who plays a district nurse in the new BBC1 series Frankie – will wear a ‘40s-style dress for her special day. But she’s keeping the colour a secret as she will be wearing it to her wedding party and wants to surprise her guests.

“It’s very classic Hollywood – it really is stunning. Matilda will be flower girl and she just looks like an angel in her dress.”

She revealed that her parents were “amazing” when she told them about her plans to marry abroad.

“I’d always said I was going to elope but I had a huge guilt trip for a long time. I asked them if they were ok with it and they said, ‘whatever makes you happy, makes us happy.’

“As long as my dad can put a kilt on and have a party he will be happy. We will definitely be having a big celebration when we’re back and it will be sooner rather than later.”

Eve and Bradley, 36, met when they were both at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. They became a couple in 1999.

Eve gave birth to Matilda 10 years later and the family relocated to the US for several months when she filmed the American series of Torchwood in which she played Gwen Cooper.

While they were living there, Bradley proposed to his long-term girlfriend.

“We had talked about getting married a lot but we’re not the most traditional of couples.

“We were on my favourite beach in Malibu and when I turned around Brad, who had Matilda on his back in a backpack, was down on his knee.

“I said, ‘What are you doing? Get up!’ and he asked me to marry him.

“We had a video camera with us so I started filming him and asked him to repeat what he’d just asked me.

“When he said, ‘will you marry me?’ again Matilda screamed ‘Nooooo!’ She ruined the moment,” laughed the actress, who has also appeared in BBC Wales dramas Belonging and Baker Boys.

Following Saturday’s nuptials, Eve is looking forward to taking some time off work after a hectic few months spent filming and promoting Frankie.

And, of course, she needs time to organise a wedding party too.

“I’m not sure where it will be yet but it will have to be somewhere that holds a lot of people.”