Former Coronation Street star Helen Flanagan has exclusively told ED! the impact her split from fiancé Scott Sinclair really had on her.
Helen shares three children – daughters Matilda, nine, and Delilah, six, and son Charlie, three – with Scott. The pair got engaged in 2018 but split in 2022 after a 13-year relationship.
Speaking to ED!, she admitted that “it’s harder work being at home with three kids” than navigating her career. She also shared a heartbreaking “trigger” that, following her split, left her feeling “rubbish”.
Since leaving the ITV soap opera in 2018, the 34 year old has remained a regular face on television. In 2020, she returned to I’m A Celebrity as an all-star following her original appearance in 2012. Last year, Helen took part in Channel 4’s Celebs Go Dating, where she wanted to find love again. Helen also regularly shares her personal life via her Instagram page, which boasts more than a million loyal followers.
However, speaking on behalf of WhichBingo Awards, the TV star admitted that the past few years haven’t been easy…
Helen Flanagan on online trolls
In December, Helen had to fire back at trolls who said cruel things about her image.
“Unfortunately, it’s a bit of the nature of the beast with the job,” Helen said about receiving horrible comments.
She continued: “Also, I’ve been an actress from a young age, from being judged and in the public eye from such a young age, it’s something that I’m used to and I’ve had to develop a tougher skin.”
Helen’s social media page offers an insight into her life from motherhood to lingerie modelling to even snapshots with her kids and boyfriend, Robbie Talbot. As far as she’s concerned, she tries to “keep my social media for women, really”.
Helen added: “What you see is what you get on my social media.”
She credits Ashley James for being a positive inspiration and admits that her posts have helped boost Helen’s confidence.
“I love everything she posts on social media,” Helen declared. “All that body confidence and feel more comfortable in your own skin stuff, especially because I do lingerie modeling as well and I’m a little bit more older than the other girls in their twenties. I’m in my thirties and you start to accept yourself a lot more when you get older. I think that’s quite a nice feeling.”
Helen Flanagan reveals heartbreaking ‘trigger’ following Scott Sinclair split
“I’m always in work mode because my kids are young,” Helen continued. “I do feel really lucky that I can do that from home. It really is a dream job for me and I genuinely really love it and really enjoy it.”
However, Helen had some advice for those who may struggle with social media.
“I do feel like we’ve got to be careful how we use social media and how it affects our mental health. Only follow accounts that make you feel good about yourselves,” she told ED!.
“I always say to my friends, if you’re ever going through a really hard time, I tell them not to go on Instagram because you’re making yourself feel more [bleep] and everybody has their own triggers, don’t they?”
She then revealed that when she split up with footballer Scott in 2022, seeing other happy families impacted her deeply.
“I remember when I split up with my ex, if I ever saw family days out with Mum and Dad, that would always make me feel a bit rubbish as I didn’t have that anymore,” Helen said.
“I feel you’ve got to look for your triggers and know how you are feeling, and how you use social media. What I do is, I only follow accounts that I really enjoy and engage in those kinds of things. I also genuinely post what I want to post.”
Helen’s life lessons
After entering the spotlight at the tender age of nine as Rosie Webster in Corrie, Helen has grown up before our very eyes.
Now, as a more mature 34 year old, the mum-of-three revealed to ED! that growing older has given her “more of a perspective over things”.
“I feel you become more happy and comfortable in yourself,” she said. “Maybe things that when you were younger felt like the whole world, when actually they’re not.
“Sometimes things you get anxious about and you think they’re so big in your head, but they turn out to be okay. As long as my kids are okay, I can cope. Everything else I can deal with.”
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