Helen Flanagan, known for her role on Coronation Street, has opened up about the “sad” reality of her past relationship with footballer Scott Sinclair and the difficulties she faces as a single mum of three in the dating world. The 34-year-old actress, who parted ways with her fiancé Scott, 35, in 2022 after a 13-year romance, shared her emotional journey on Wednesday’s episode of Celebs Go Dating.
During a candid conversation with the show’s relationship experts, Anna Williamson and Dr. Tara, Helen became tearful as she reflected on her split from Scott. Now single for two years, Helen is on the show to find new love but is still grappling with the emotional scars from her past relationship. “We weren’t right for each other,” Helen admitted. “We weren’t compatible anymore. I remember I always used to feel quite invisible with Scott. I feel like I was always fighting to get his attention,” she revealed, her voice tinged with sadness, reports the Mirror.
Helen’s raw honesty continued as she spoke about the strain that the relationship had on her self-esteem. “The arguments that we’d have were just so… it was really sad,” she shared, expressing the deep emotional toll that her struggle for attention had taken on her.
As Helen embarks on her journey to find love again, she faces the added challenge of being a single mother to her three children, Matilda, seven, Delilah, five, and Charlie, three. In the first episode of Celebs Go Dating, she participated in a masked mixer where celebrities choose their dates while remaining incognito. Helen, determined to be upfront about her status as a mother, found herself in an emotional moment as she navigated the complexities of dating.
“I know I do it,” Helen confessed, tears welling up as she spoke. “I don’t know why I do it. But I think, I don’t know if I feel like anyone’s going to really love me.” Despite her fears, she went on a date with Luke, who seemed unfazed by her being a mum. The pair shared a smooch on their first date, giving Helen a glimmer of hope.
However, the challenges of dating as a single mother are never far from Helen’s mind. In the latest episode, Anna and Dr. Tara set her up on another date with lawyer Yoss, and Helen vows to try not to talk about her children, a decision she finds difficult but necessary in her quest to find love.
Joining Helen on this year’s Celebs Go Dating are other well-known faces, including ex-Gogglebox star Stephen Webb, Married at First Sight’s Ella Morgan, Love Island’s Chris Taylor, Made in Chelsea’s Tristan Phipps, and Hollyoaks actress and singer Jamelia. As Helen continues her journey on the show, viewers are rooting for her to find the love and happiness she deserves.