EX-CORONATION Street star Helen Flanagan has grown close to a former non-league footballer.
It comes as she appears on E4’s Celebs Go Dating — and two years after a “messy” split with her footie star ex-fiancé Scott Sinclair.
The former soap actress was seen looking smitten with new beau Robbie Talbot, 44, at her 34th birthday party.
She has not had a serious relationship since splitting with Scott in 2022.
They were together 13 years and have three children.
Now she has told pals she is “smitten” with Robbie.
Helen, who played Rosie Webster on the ITV soap, threw a glamorous birthday do at Manchester’s five-star Hotel Gotham on August 10, where she made no secret of her budding relationship.
The pair arrived together and stayed at the venue overnight.
It is not known if they shared a room.
Onlookers said Helen — dressed in a pink ruffled dress — was “beaming” as she spent the evening alongside her new man.
They were pictured hugging and with Robbie’s arm around her.
It is believed they have been dating since May.
A month after hitting it off, they took a trip to the Municipal Hotel and Spa in Liverpool, where Robbie is from.
Helen has tried to keep the relationship under wraps ahead of her stint on Celebs Go Dating, which began on August 19.
A source said: “Helen’s absolutely smitten. They look so good together. She deserves to be happy after everything she’s been through recently.
“She’s tried to keep things out of the public eye, but that’s become difficult as their feelings have grown for each other.
“Helen made no secret of her new relationship at her party, but it is still early days.”
Robbie played as a striker for Morecambe and Burton Albion, among other clubs.
He later became a coach after almost being killed in a serious car accident in 2004.
The former player has two daughters from a previous relationship.
Helen previously said: “I’m very attracted to manly men who are older and understand I’m a mum. I tend to go for 40 upwards. Most of all, he needs to be a decent, good person.”
Helen revealed earlier this month she was barely on speaking terms with the father of her children after spotting him on a dating site shortly after they separated two years ago.
She also told how she suffered an episode of psychosis after a “bad reaction” to ADHD medication while “emotionally struggling” with the split with Scott.
