Former Coronation Street actress Helen Flanagan has candidly revealed the emotional difficulty of navigating a co-parenting arrangement over the festive season, just hours before stepping out for a glamorous evening in Liverpool.
A Heartfelt Admission on Social Media
On Saturday, the 35-year-old star took to TikTok to share her feelings about not having her children with her on Christmas Eve, describing the experience as 'so unnatural'. A melancholic version of Mariah Carey's 'All I Want for Christmas' played as she filmed herself looking despondent in the dark.
In a heartfelt caption, Helen penned: 'Not having your kids on Christmas Eve feels so unnatural when your [sic] a mummy x.' She explained that her three children spent the holiday period with their father, her ex-partner Scott Sinclair. The former couple, who split in 2022 after 13 years together, co-parent their daughters Matilda, 10, and Delilah, seven, and their four-year-old son Charlie.
Putting the Children First Amid Personal Struggle
Despite her own sadness, Flanagan emphasised that her priority was always her children's happiness and her encouragement of their relationship with their father. 'I ended up having a really nice Christmas with my family and my friends, ofcorse [sic] I missed them but it's not about me it's about the children,' she wrote.
She extended her support to others in a similar situation, adding: 'sending love to all of those that 'co parent' I hate calling it that over Christmas, it's not easy'. This admission came after she previously told Instagram followers she had been feeling 'up and down' about the separation, which lasted over two weeks while she performed in a pantomime.
Glamorous Night Out in Liverpool
Later that same Saturday, Helen appeared to be in brighter spirits as she enjoyed a girls' night out in Liverpool. She turned heads in a striking black dress featuring a plunging neckline and cut-out details.
She completed her eye-catching ensemble with a pair of black stiletto heels and accessorised tastefully with a smart red leather handbag. The actress was accompanied by two friends as she stepped out in the city where she is currently starring as the Wicked Queen in a production of 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs'.
The pantomime run, which lasts from December 12 to December 28, meant her children went to stay with Scott Sinclair from December 22. Scott, 36, is currently a free agent footballer after leaving Bristol Rovers.
While Helen shared that she cherished time with her wider family, cuddling her nieces and nephews on Christmas Day, she also posted nostalgic photos of her own children from the previous year, underscoring how much she missed them.
