HELEN Flanagan has revealed the secret hardships she faced before breakdown – as she celebrates the difference a year makes.
The 34-year-old has told of the family fallouts, stress and financial woes she endured before falling ill with bad mental health.
Sharing snaps from the 2023 festive period, Helen admits “I basically lost all my money” as she opens up about her ordeal a year on from her shock psychosis.
The former Coronation Street star wrote on Instagram: “Just a little look on what a difference a year can make. This time last year: Christmas, I spent it in bed.
“I went to my mum’s for a few hours as my dad was calling me.
“I said to Scott he could have the kids (I live really north and he lives really south) because I wanted to take the kids to Bali for ten days for New Year.
“I knew I had to be fair. But it really hit me out of nowhere. I said to my friends before hand it’s just a day I’ll be fine. I had bad mental health.
“My love life was a s*** show that year…. I didn’t look after my my mental health.
“I felt so s*** and sad. I felt like my whole life was f***ed up now.
“Thirteen years is a long time to be with someone. My whole 20s.
“I had a lot of family fall outs too and I also lost basically all my money. Me and Scott weren’t married we were engaged.
“My mental health was so bad I thought maybe my kids would be better off without me and maybe they would be better off with their dad as he’s more level headed than me.
“I love my kids more than words can say but when you are not well you’re not well.
“New Year’s Eve- I was in Bali but i spent it in hospital with Matilda as she had Bels Palsy and half of her face was paralysed which was just horrible as she’s my absolute princess.
“It was a horrendous journey over with three little kids.”
Helen continued: “I remember feeling very heavy mentally and stressed as I signed up to do a six month theatre tour that started in the middle of January.
HELEN Flanagan has revealed that she is in a new relationship.
While appearing on Celebs Go Dating, she confessed that she was already taken – here’s everything we know about her boyfriend Robbie Talbot.
Helen has opened up about her relationship with former footballer Robbie Talbot.
He is a decade older than the actress.
Robbie was born in Liverpool on October 31, 1979 which is how he earned his nickname Halloween Hitman in football.
He has played for a series of non-league teams such as Burton Albion, Burscough and Morcambe.
He then became a coach at Ashton in 2010.
Robbie is retired from football.
He left his role as Assistant Manager at Ashton due to family and work commitments in 2011.
It’s unknown what he has done for work since leaving football.
Helen admitted that she was dating Robbie while appearing on Celebs Go Dating.
In a first for the show, it has been revealed that her relationship had to be written into the series due to requirements that those taking part have to be single.
The pair went public at her birthday party on August 10, 2024.
“I was so excited about it and I wanted to do it so much but I was very stressed about leaving the kids. Very very stressed.
“I looked at having them home schooled so they could be with me but then I felt that wasn’t fair on them as they were settled and their dad didn’t want them home schooled.
“Majority of the tour was down south and I had the worst mum guilt wondering how was I going to do it, especially with their daddy working away too.”
Helen then shared new photos from Christmas Day this year as she celebrated being in better health.
“Christmas this year with my babies at my mum and dad’s meant so much to me”, Helen added.
“New Year’s Eve – I met Robbie in 2024 who is the loveliest funniest guy and we had such a fun night.”
She added: “I prioritised my mental health, made up with a lot of people that I loved and came to a bit of peace.
“My head is 70 per cent clearer than it was this time last year and for that I am grateful.
“Of course my life isn’t perfect no one’s is and everyone has shit going on but I have a lot to be grateful for.
“I remember how I felt in my head this time last year, I felt my head could have exploded and I felt at that time that I needed some tablets to just function.
“Just thought I’d share this if anyone else is in a really bad place…. You can work though things and things can get better no matter how heavy and hard they feel.”
