Former Coronation Street actress Helen Flanagan has unleashed a series of bombshell revelations in her newly published autobiography, offering an unflinching look at her career in soaps, personal relationships, and mental health challenges.
On-Set Tensions and 'Mean Girl' Culture
The 35-year-old star, best known for playing Rosie Webster on the long-running ITV drama, has opened up about experiencing exclusion and cliques when she returned to the Coronation Street set in 2017 after a break. In her book, Head & Heart: Break-ups, Breakdowns and Being Rosie, Flanagan describes how the atmosphere had noticeably changed.
She writes: '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.'
Flanagan speculates that the unnamed actress may have been resentful of the press attention her return generated, stating: '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.'
The actress recalls often sitting alone in the canteen, feeling left out, and comparing the experience to a 'real-life Mean Girls' scenario.
Feuds with Co-Stars and Presenters
Beyond the anonymous 'mean girl', Flanagan details specific conflicts with well-known figures. She claims that television presenter Yvette Fielding 'absolutely detested' her during their time working together on Celebrity Super-Spa in 2013, and made no secret of her feelings. Flanagan even alleges that Fielding called her 'evil' at one point.
The autobiography also sheds light on her strained relationship with former on-screen boyfriend and co-star Ryan Thomas, who played Jason Grimshaw. Flanagan reveals they 'used to clash something chronic', primarily because Thomas was often 'dead grumpy in the mornings' and 'never used to know his lines'.
However, she notes that time has healed some wounds, and they have since 'become quite good friends', with Flanagan expressing admiration for Thomas and his brothers.
Personal Life Revelations and Ongoing Conflict
Flanagan's book delves into her romantic history, including the revelation that she and her on-screen sister, Brooke Vincent, both briefly dated the same Manchester City footballer, Reece Wabara, before Flanagan's long-term relationship with Scott Sinclair. She describes Wabara as 'gorgeous' but says things fizzled out quickly, labelling him a 'ladies' man'.
The most poignant and ongoing conflict detailed surrounds her split from footballer Scott Sinclair in 2022 after 13 years together and three children. Flanagan addresses the recent turmoil, including reports that Sinclair wants her to move out of their former £1.5 million shared home so he can stop maintenance payments.
A source stated: 'Scott wants to buy Helen a four-bedroom home. He's even offered to put it in her name but wants to stop the maintenance payments.' However, Flanagan is reportedly resisting the move as she loves the house, her children are settled in local schools, and her parents live nearby.
Communication between the ex-couple has allegedly 'completely broken down', with them now only speaking through Flanagan's parents. The house, initially listed for £1.5 million, has seen significant price reductions, dropping to £995,000 by September last year.
Public Frustrations and Mental Health
Flanagan's frustrations have spilled onto social media. Last week, she begged followers to stop sending her messages about Sinclair's whereabouts, insisting she 'didn't care' about her former fiancé's personal business. This followed a public outburst last month when she criticised Sinclair for missing their son Charlie's school nativity play while he was in Abu Dhabi for the Grand Prix.
Throughout the autobiography, Flanagan courageously discusses the tough times she has faced with her mental health over the years, framing these personal and professional conflicts within the broader context of her wellbeing struggles. The book serves as a raw and revealing account of life in the spotlight, the pressures of soap opera fame, and the complexities of navigating personal relationships in the public eye.
