Helen Flanagan, the Coronation Street star, looked radiant at Manchester Pride on Sunday, but the following day she revealed a very different side of her life.
Sharing an emotional Instagram post with her 1.1 million followers, the 35-year-old opened up about the toll co-parenting takes on her mental health and admitted she “f***ing hates co-parenting.”
Emotional Confession Following Kids’ Visit
Helen shares three children—Matilda, nine, Delilah, six, and Charlie, three—with her ex-fiancé, footballer Scott Sinclair.
Their shared parenting arrangement requires the kids to spend part of their holidays with Scott, something Helen confessed she struggles with deeply.
Sobbing into the camera, she admitted: “I really, really struggle.
I really struggle when they go away… I’m suffering really badly with anxiety at the moment.”
She explained that she only feels okay when the children are away if she has other plans for herself, highlighting the constant emotional tug-of-war that comes with co-parenting.
Finding Balance Amid Anxiety
Helen spoke candidly about the challenges of being constantly responsible for her kids and dealing with her anxiety:
“When they go I want them back, and when I’m with them all the time, I get really overwhelmed… I’ve had bad anxiety recently because I haven’t had a minute to myself. Some time might do me good.”
She described how spending time with friends, exercising, and getting proper rest helps her cope when the children are away, while also noting how her mother has been helping her get organized for the school year.
Struggling With Alone Time and Social Media
Helen admitted that being alone is particularly hard for her, saying she often surrounds herself with friends and keeps active on social media to feel connected:
“I’m really bad at being on my own, so I’m always with my friends.
That’s why I love social media… because I’m always connecting with people.”
Despite her breakdown, she concluded on a practical note, saying she would focus on writing lists and being productive.
Standing Up to ‘Mum-Shamers’
Before her emotional post, Helen had taken to Instagram to defend herself against criticism over a cleavage-revealing outfit she wore at Manchester Pride.
She explained that her confidence post-breastfeeding, boosted by her boob job, shouldn’t make her a target of judgment:
“Should I be ashamed of how I look because I’m a woman and this is how I look? I don’t think that makes you a bad mum.
I try to show my children the importance of being kind.”
Helen’s honesty about her struggles and her unapologetic confidence highlights both the pressures of modern motherhood and the importance of self-care in the public eye.
