Helen Flanagan has never been shy about sharing her life behind the scenes, and her new autobiography, Head & Heart: Break-ups, Breakdowns And Being Rosie, offers plenty of candid revelations.
The former Coronation Street star, 35, dives into her experiences growing up in the soap world, navigating fame, and dealing with her mental health struggles.
But she also dishes on the feuds and tricky relationships she’s faced throughout her career.
A “Mean Girl” and a Cold Welcome
One of the most striking stories in Helen’s book involves an unnamed “mean girl” from her Coronation Street days.
She explains how returning to the soap in 2017 after a break was far from smooth.
Helen noticed the atmosphere on set had shifted, with cliques forming and some cast members being openly unkind.
She recalls, “There were cliques amongst the cast which seemed a bit exclusionary, and I was made to feel particularly uncomfortable by another actress who could be quite sarcastic and cold with me.
Maybe her nose was out of joint because my return had attracted a fair bit of press attention – not something I could have helped – but I do think she had a false impression of me.”
Helen admits this left her spending a lot of time alone in the canteen, feeling excluded.
Looking back, she likens the experience to a “real-life Mean Girls situation,” though she stresses that she generally gets along with everyone except for this particular co-star.
Clash with a TV Legend
Helen also shares a tense working relationship with TV presenter Yvette Fielding while filming Celebrity Super-Spa in 2013.
According to Helen, Yvette “absolutely detested” her and didn’t hide it, even reportedly calling Helen “evil” at one point.
On-Screen Romance, Off-Screen Tensions
Her autobiography also delves into the ups and downs with former Corrie co-star and on-screen boyfriend Ryan Thomas, who played Jason Grimshaw.
While their on-screen chemistry was undeniable, their real-life interactions were often fraught with tension.
Helen explains, “Me and Ryan Thomas weren’t on the best of terms in real life either – we used to clash something chronic, mainly because he would be dead grumpy in the mornings and never used to know his lines!”
Thankfully, time has mellowed their disagreements. She adds that they’ve grown friendly over the years, along with Ryan’s brothers, Adam and Scott, calling them “good lads.”
Love Lives and Shared Romances
Helen doesn’t shy away from personal revelations either.
She reveals that she and her on-screen sister, Brooke Vincent, both dated the same Manchester City player at different times.
Before her relationship with ex Scott Sinclair, Helen briefly dated Reece Wabara, describing him as “gorgeous,” though the romance fizzled quickly.
Helen later enjoyed a long-term relationship with Scott Sinclair, with whom she has three children: Matilda, 10, Delilah, seven, and Charlie, four.
The couple split in 2022 after 13 years together, and their post-breakup situation has become complicated.
Home Disputes and Co-Parenting Challenges
Following their separation, tensions over their shared £1.5 million six-bedroom home escalated.
Sources reported that Scott wants Helen to move out, citing a complete breakdown in communication.
Helen, however, is resisting the move, as the children are settled, and her parents live nearby.
Scott has offered to buy Helen a smaller four-bedroom property and even put it in her name, but Helen feels the situation is far from straightforward.
The property has already gone through price reductions, dropping from £1.5 million to just under £1 million in recent months.
Public Feuds on Social Media
The drama spilled onto social media, with Helen taking to Instagram to urge fans to stop sending her messages about Scott.
She insisted, “I really don’t care. No one needs to DM me and tell me his personal business. I’m spared of that now.”
Helen also publicly expressed frustration when Scott failed to attend their son Charlie’s school nativity while sharing posts from the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, calling him out in a heated Instagram post.
Navigating Life After Fame and Heartbreak
Helen Flanagan’s autobiography paints a vivid picture of life in the public eye: the pressures of fame, navigating friendships and rivalries on set, and balancing personal relationships.
Between the feuds, heartbreaks, and family challenges, her story is a candid look at growing up in the soap spotlight and learning to stand her ground both on and off screen.
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