From a fellow acting husband to her Call the Midwife co-star ‘boyfriend’, Helen George has had quite an eventful love life.
The 40-year-old actress, who currently portrays Trixie Franklin in the BBC period drama Call the Midwife, is gracing our screens every Sunday for the 14th series. Here, we take a look at her relationship history.
Helen George married actor Oliver Boot
In 2011, Helen tied the knot with fellow actor Oliver Boot. The pair first met in 2008 after they portrayed a bickering couple in Hotel Babylon. However, in 2015, their marriage came to an end weeks after Helen began competing on BBC’s Strictly.
A spokesperson for the couple at the time confirmed that they hadn’t been hit with the infamous “Strictly curse.” In fact, they revealed they had split before her time on the show.
“Going through a divorce is awful,” she explained. “I’d been asked to do Strictly and, strange as it sounds, I thought it would be like a sort of therapy after my divorce.
“You are focused on this one thing, it’s an emotional journey. I was so naive that I thought no one would be interested in me, so that was a shock. I soon realised I didn’t want all that celebrity stuff.”
Helen’s journey on Strictly proved to be a success, finishing in sixth place. She was paired with pro dancer Aljaž Škorjanec.
Helen dated Call the Midwife co-star Jack Ashton
A year after Jack Ashton joined Call the Midwife as Reverend Tom Hereward, Helen and Jack grew close. As a result, the pair formed a relationship after taping the 2016 Christmas Special in South Africa.
Despite Helen’s character declining his on-screen proposal, that didn’t stop the couple from taking things seriously in real life. In 2017, they started a family, welcoming their oldest daughter, Wren. Four years later, they had another daughter, Lark, in 2021.
However, it seems all good things come to an end as Helen revealed in July 2023 that she and Jack split after seven years together.
“Some months ago, we separated. Our two beautiful girls remain the focus and I respectfully ask for privacy for this next chapter,” she told the Mirror.
A source told the newspaper: “Helen and Jack’s decision to end their relationship has been amicable, and no one else is involved. They have just grown apart as a couple.
“Until now, only their closest friends and family have known what is going on, but in recent weeks it has been shared more widely. They are both incredibly committed to working together to be the best parents they can for their two daughters.”
Helen’s rumoured new relationship
Following Helen’s surprise split from Jack, rumours suggested she was dating another Call the Midwife actor, Olly Rix, after she was seen leaving his West London residence in November.
Like Helen, Olly recently became single after he split from makeup artist Natasha Fagri after a seven-year relationship. On Call the Midwife, Helen and Olly enjoyed an on-screen wedding, leading viewers to believe they could have chemistry in real life.
“It’s been a tricky year for both Helen and Olly. They have been spending a lot of time together on set, walking their dogs together and chatting a lot. They both have respect for each other as actors and they are supportive of each other and dedicated to their roles on the drama. The changes in their relationships have caused a lot of upheaval,” a source told the Sun on Sunday.
However, Helen’s representative told the Mirror that the pair are nothing but friends. “Yes, she went to visit a friend for a cup of tea – like all friends do – and as we have always said, there is nothing more to this,” they said.
The next episode of Call the Midwife airs on BBC One at 8pm.
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