Former Coronation Street star Helen Flanagan has candidly shared the emotional difficulty of spending Christmas without her three children, describing the experience as 'so unnatural'. The actress, 35, spent the festive period apart from her daughters Matilda, 10, and Delilah, seven, and four-year-old son Charlie, who celebrated with their father, footballer Scott Sinclair.
An 'Unnatural' Festive Separation
Flanagan took to TikTok on Saturday to voice her sadness, filming herself looking despondent in a dark room with a melancholic version of Mariah Carey's 'All I Want for Christmas Is You' playing. In a heartfelt caption, she wrote: 'Not having your kids on Christmas Eve feels so unnatural when your [sic] a mummy x.'
The separation was due to her work commitments, starring as the Wicked Queen in a pantomime production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in Liverpool from December 12 to December 28. The children went to stay with their father on December 22 and will not return until she finishes her panto run.
The Reality of Co-Parenting During the Holidays
Despite her personal struggle, Flanagan emphasised that her priority is her children's wellbeing. '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 explained. She added that she has 'always encouraged a relationship with their father'.
The actress sent love to others navigating similar situations, stating: 'sending love to all of those that 'co parent' I hate calling it that over Christmas, it's not easy.' She had previously confessed to feeling 'up and down' about the prospect of being away from her kids for over two weeks.
Communication Challenges and Family Support
Flanagan revealed the practical difficulties of their co-parenting arrangement, admitting she had not been able to FaceTime the children during their stay with Sinclair due to their strained relationship. 'I have not face timed the children since they have been gone as me and their father don't have that kind of relationship where we can do that,' she shared.
To improve future communication, she is getting her eldest daughter a phone for Christmas. 'Matilda is getting a phone off me for Christmas as she's going to secondary school, so will be much easier to communicate when they are away,' she wrote.
During her panto run, Flanagan has relied heavily on her mother, Julia, for support, praising her for 'practically raising her kids' by handling school runs, activities, and washing. Meanwhile, Scott Sinclair shared snaps on his Instagram of the children enjoying festive activities, including ice skating and opening presents.
The former couple, who split in 2022 after 13 years together, are reported to be on far from friendly terms, communicating only through relatives. Flanagan recently criticised Sinclair for missing their son's nativity play to travel to Abu Dhabi.
