Actress Helen Flanagan is giving love another shot as the mum-of-three opens up about the new series of Celebrity Ex On the Beach – and her dream man
Helen Flanagan’s love life may have had its ups and downs but she refuses to give up on love and has now signed up for the new series of Celebrity Ex On The Beach.
For Helen, 35, appearing on the famously dramatic dating show was an easy decision. “I have always loved it,” she explains. “When I was asked, it was November and freezing in the UK, and I just thought, ‘How fun?’ I was single, so why not?”
And fun is exactly what she had. While viewers can expect all the usual explosive twists, surprise arrivals and emotional confrontations, for Helen, the experience was about much more than the drama.
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“I had the best time,” she says. “What I loved most was the girl time. There was such a gorgeous group of girls, and I don’t often get that kind of social time in my everyday life.
“I’m usually juggling work and the kids, so it felt really special to just be present and enjoy it,” added mum-of-three Helen.
Of course, this is Ex On The Beach and Helen hints that there is a lot of “drama” and things get seriously “juicy”. “There were a lot of surprises,” she teases. “It’s quite surreal when you’re filming because you forget the cameras are there. It just feels like real life, and then you realise how intense everything is.”
Of course, it isn’t Helen’s first foray into the world of reality TV dating. She memorably appeared on Celebs Go Dating in 2024 but caused controversy by revealing she was in a secret relationship with footballer Robbie Talbot. An appearance Helen calls “iconic”.
Her inclusion in Celebrity Ex On The Beach has sparked conversation on social media, particularly because she is a single mum to Matilda, 10, Delilah, seven, and Charlie, five. But Helen is unapologetic in her approach.
“I find it empowering,” she says. “There have been comments on social media suggesting I shouldn’t be doing a show like that as a mum of three, but no one would say that about a dad. Women should be allowed to have fun and enjoy themselves too.”
While she’s remaining tight-lipped about whether romance blossomed, Helen admits there were genuine connections formed during filming. “There were definitely strong bonds,” she says, smiling. “But people will have to watch to see what happens.”
When it comes to her ideal partner, Helen knows exactly what she’s looking for. “He’d need to be fit, kind and funny,” she says. “And someone who matches my personality, I always describe myself as a bit of a ‘sexy geek’, so I’d want that same energy in a partner.”
Away from reality TV, Helen’s life is a constant balancing act. Having grown up in the public eye, she was just nine when she joined Coronation Street as Rosie Webster. Since then she has developed a resilience that helps her navigate both fame and criticism.
“I don’t really know any different. Being in the spotlight is all I have ever known,” she says. “ I think you naturally grow a thicker skin, and things are kinder now than they used to be, especially with social media.”
Despite exploring new opportunities, there’s a deep connection to Corrie. “I’d absolutely love to return,” Helen says. “It feels like home. I would love Rosie to come back as an iconic barmaid and have a Corrie wedding as it’s the only wedding I’d be getting at the moment, but they haven’t been in touch yet, it would be so perfect as I only live around the corner.”
Helen says that her former Corrie co-stars, Brooke Vincent (Sophie Webster), Sally Dynevor (Sally Metcalfe) and Michael Le Vell (Kevin Webster) are like family. Sally and Brooke recently went to watch her in Shelagh Stephenson’s play The Memory Of Water.
For now, though, her career continues to take her in exciting and sometimes unexpected directions. And behind the scenes, it’s her family who keep everything running smoothly. Her mum Julia, in particular, plays a central role.
“Without her, everything would fall apart,” Helen admits. “We’ve always done everything together, and she’s such a huge support; I couldn’t do the work I do without her.” And, although she is due to move into a new house soon, she made sure of one thing: that it was around the corner from her mum.
Motherhood remains at the heart of everything she does, but Helen is also rediscovering herself. Having had children young, she now feels like she’s entering a new phase of life.
And as her children grow more independent, she’s starting to find a little more freedom. “It’s still busy with three kids, but they are all at school now and I feel like I’m starting to get some of me back,” she says.
When it comes to love, Helen is hopeful, but in no rush. “There’s no pressure. It’ll happen when it’s meant to,” she says.
Celebrity Ex On The Beach starts on Paramount+ on Tuesday 31 March
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