HELEN Flanagan dumped her Celebs Go Dating love interest in an awkward phone call during tonight’s episode.
Actress Helen, 34, who we revealed has been growing close to a secret boyfriend outside of the show, brutally ended things with 23-year-old Luke after their second date.
At the behest of the agents, Helen rang him to confirm she didn’t see them meeting up again.
It came after she cut their last rendezvous short, admitting their age gap caused her to have doubts.
After some protest about making the call, she spoke to Luke, telling him: “I think, for me, I just thought you were a lovely guy, you’re really hot and really nice, but I didn’t feel like conversation was getting on deeper levels.
“I felt like I couldn’t properly talk about everything like me being a mum and things like.
“But I do want to apologise to you.”
He argued back: “It just happened quick, I just wasn’t expecting it. It was as if someone was panicking and wanted to get it done quick.
“Even if it was like we came to an agreement that it wasn’t going anywhere but at least I had my say within that.”
Afterwards, Helen told agents Paul Brunson, Anna Williamson and Dr. Tara that she felt “disappointed” in herself for hurting his feelings.
It’s no wonder the Coronation Street star wasn’t interested in seeing Luke again as she had been growing close to ex footballer Robbie Talbot during filming.
The Sun revealed bosses helped cover up her secret relationship with the ex-Morecambe and Burton Albion striker.
When Helen confessed to E4 execs, they were so desperate to keep her that he ended up being included in the series.
That came despite her already having kissed a date called Luke.
Sources on the show, which follows a group of single celebrities looking for love, said Robbie has been seen on set filming alongside Helen.
The fakery makes a mockery of the long-running series, as Helen has spoken about her dating struggle — after splitting with former Aston Villa and Celtic footballer Scott Sinclair — to promote the show.
A source said: “Helen tried to keep the relationship under wraps because of Celebs Go Dating.
“But that’s become difficult as their feelings have grown for each other. It came to a head when she was quizzed by the dating agents about why she was failing to pursue connections on the show.
“The one rule of CGD is stars must be single.
“But E4 bosses were desperate to keep her, so found a way to write Robbie into the show.
“Sources on set have seen him filming alongside Helen. While it’s not known how E4 will justify the fakery, viewers will feel they’re trying to pull the wool over their eyes.”
A Celebs Go Dating spokesperson said: “During the filming of Celebs Go Dating, the executive producers discovered that Helen Flanagan was in a relationship outside of the CGD process. Once this came to light, Helen was asked to be transparent with the agents and her fellow celebrities during her next filming day. As per the show’s guidelines, all participating celebrities must be single. After discussing the situation, it was decided that Helen and her partner, Robbie, would meet with the agents to assess their compatibility, and Helen would no longer date members of the public. These developments will be featured on the show starting from episode 10.”
Helen went public with Robbie at her birthday party on August 10, with pals saying she is “smitten”.
It comes two years after a “messy” split from ex-fiancé Scott, who she was with for 13 years and has three children with.
