Helen Flanagan's heartbreaking Christmas sacrifice she's making for kids after split

Corrie star Helen Flanagan is co-parenting her three children with ex-fiance footballer Scott Sinclair after the pair split in 2022 after 13 years together

Actress Helen Flanagan is determined to give her three children a sparkling Christmas as she puts her differences with their dad to one side and makes successful co-parenting her priority. Helen, 34, has three children - Matilda, seven, Delilah, five, and Charlie, three - with footballer Scott Sinclair, 35, who she split up with in 2022, after 13 years together.

Despite admitting that she and her ex-fiance "do each other’s heads in", in an exclusive interview, she says they are united when it comes to their family, explaining: "We’re focused on what matters the most – the kids. It’s all about communication and being fair."

But it's not all been easy for the former Corrie star, as she opened up about spending Christmas away from her children last year. "It's my turn with the kids this year because he [Scott] had them last year," she says.

"We can't do half and half because he's in Bath and I'm in Manchester so it's hard to have those split Christmas days. We take turns. I think it's important to be fair when it comes to who gets the children over Christmas."

Since September, she has shared her Lancashire home with her current boyfriend, ex-non-league footballer-turned construction firm boss Robbie Talbot, 45, who also has children from a previous relationship. "It’s hard to talk about the role Robbie plays in my children’s life as Scott is still their dad, but having my boyfriend’s support is great," says Helen.

Bristol Rovers player Scott, 35, is also living with his current partner, model Louise Tarver, but joined Helen and their children for a family celebration at Winter Wonderland in London’s Hyde Park last week. Helen, who played Rosie Webster in Coronation Street from 2000 to 2012, before a brief return from 2017 to 2018, plans to spend Christmas Day with her mum and children this year, with Robbie coming over in the afternoon.

Currently working with WhichBingo, Helen says: "Christmas is different for me every year. When I was with Scott, we moved all over the place because of football.

"Sometimes we would visit his family, sometimes we would visit mine, and sometimes we would be somewhere completely random because he's playing football. But I think Christmas is about the children.

"I don't think it has to be honed in on one day, we celebrate all through November and December to make sure it's special for them and they get time with both of us."

Helen admitted this Christmas will be a much happier one for her now that she is in a "happy and healthy relationship" with Robbie. "A lot of single mums can relate to me and when I met Robbie, I had so many lovely messages from people who had also gone through big breakups and divorces to say they were so happy for me," she adds.

"It's really nice to be back in a happy, healthy relationship after such a public breakup. I felt a lot of single mums could relate to me on Celebs Go Dating.

"I was very honest with my emotions on the show, but I also had to protect myself a bit. Navigating being a single mum takes time. I'm in a much better place than I was this time last year."