Helen Flanagan has opened up about “feeling sad” as her kids spent the weekend with their dad.
I’m a Celebrity… South Africa cast member Helen, 32, shares three children with footballer Scott Sinclair, 34. They ended their relationship last year after 13 years together.
Reports speculated the former couple may have been back on at the start of April. There were suggestions Helen and Scott enjoyed a ‘secret’ family holiday in Dubai with their kids.
However, Helen subsequently shut down press rumours about her relationship status. But the ex Coronation Street actress did tell one magazine she hopes she and Scott will remain “good friends”.
But in a recent social media update, Helen hinted at how tough she finds one particular aspect of the break up when it comes to her family.
Helen Flanagan opens up about missing her kids
In an Insta post shared on Tuesday (May 9), Helen shared two clips – one of her tending to a guinea pig and one showing her enjoying some fresh air. Another pic also uploaded in the same post was a selfie showing her laying down on a sofa with her arm across her eyes, as if upset and stifling tears.
Setting the scene, Helen explained: “So this long weekend was my first weekend that I didn’t have my kids as they were having a good time with their daddy and nanna.”
‘I didn’t want to feel sad’
Speaking candidly, Helen then admitted she hadn’t been looking forward to an empty house without her children. “I usually when my kids go away make sure I go out, usually run to London and get drunk with my friends,” Helen continued.
“I felt like it was time though to face being in my family house on my own which is something I’ve put off for a very long time as I didn’t want to feel sad. But sometimes I suppose you’ve just got to feel stuff and it’s okay to cry.”
I felt like it was time though to face being in my family house on my own which is something I’ve put off for a very long time.
The Rosie Webster actress also noted she hoped others experiencing similar circumstances might be reassured by her mentioning her own situation.
Helen added: “I wanted to share this because sometimes we scroll on Instagram and things can look perfect but in reality some things are just [blank]… also I have a big following of other mums and women that will relate to me and I love that I’ve built a supportive network of women.”
She signed off by joking that she’d “binged” a Colin the Caterpillar cake and spent much of her time cleaning up after their pet guinea pig. And Helen also light-heartedly referred to how her house “has never been so immaculate”.
View this post on Instagram
How fans reacted
Helen’s followers seemed to appreciate her addressing her feelings.
“Thank you for sharing this, I’m currently going through the same things and finding it very hard,” one commented on the post. Another agreed: “It’s sooo hard but it does get easier.”
And former Big Brother contestant Chanelle Hayes chipped in: “You’re doing amazingly, setting a great example for your beautiful girls about how to be a strong woman who can articulate her own feelings!”
I’m a Celebrity… South Africa continues on ITV tonight, Wednesday May 10, at 9pm.
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