I spoke to Helen Flanagan all about her year just gone, life so far & future plans

35-year-old Helen is probably best known for playing Rosie Webster in Coronation Street, a role she first started back in 2000.

Since leaving the show for good in 2018, the Bury born star, who attended Lancashire’s Westholme School growing up, has become the proud mum of three children, and appeared on a host of shows, including the 2024 series of Celebs Go Dating.

This year however was a career first for Helen, having finished her first book - out on January 29- and the year ended on a high, with the mum of three starring as the Wicked Queen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at the M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool.

Ahead of the Christmas period, Helen sat down for a chat with our celebrity reporter, courtesy of Which Bingo, so take a look below to find out more about Hayley’s year so far, her future plans and her advice for any struggling mums or aspiring actors...

If you look back at your year, can you tell me some highlights?

“I'd say probably what I'm most proud of this year is my book. I've always wanted to do a mental health book. So I would say that the thing that I'm most proud of - apart from, obviously, all the things my children have done, and being a mum - is my book that I've published.”

Why was 2025 the year to release it?

“It was a long time coming really. I started writing bits of the book in January 2024, when I was really unwell. I wasn't able to do a theatre tour because I was mentally unwell- I struggled with psychosis from my medication. So I started to write bits and then when I came to write the book, like, some of it didn't make sense, but I managed to find a few good bits and I worked along with a ghost writer as well, and it's been really nice to take some painful mental health experiences and turn it into something positive. I hope the book can be a comfort to other people.”

And have you got any plans for next year to share?

“After pantomime, I’m in a play for three months, called Memory of Water, which I'm really excited about, and it's an amazing role. It's going to be at the Octagon Theatre in Bolton, which is such a beautiful theatre. I went a few weeks ago, actually, to watch Sue Cleaver in something, and she was amazing. It's a gorgeous, gorgeous theatre. I've been going since I was young, and the part that I'm playing is amazing, like it’s so perfect for me and also it's a great cast. I'm doing that ‘til March so it's really nice to have a plan of what you're doing and I’m really looking forward to that. I'd love the readers to come and watch me.”

“But generally, I'd like to focus on really getting back into my acting, but you never know what's going to happen. I'm very open minded as a person. I don't know about you, but all year, like the things that I've not expected are sometimes the best things that can happen, you know? So I do like to think that I'm quite open minded, I'm very focused and driven, but it's nice when unexpected things happen as well.”

Talking about things popping up that you might not expect, what was your biggest learning curve of the year?

“Oh, God, that is one, isn't it. My biggest learning curve?. I just think life is so short. I really, really do. You can't sweat the small stuff, you've got to go for things in life, don't waste your time on things, you've just got to grab happiness when you can.”.

And is there anything in the future that you still want to grab?

“Oh, gosh, yeah, there's loads. I mean, I try and do a goal board every January. I don't know if we've ever done one of those but I like doing them because they can keep you really focused on the year. So, yeah, there's so much I want to do. Obviously, I'm very busy with my three children but I'd like to focus on my acting now, really.”

Have you got any new year's resolutions?

“I don't really like to do new year's resolutions. I have done in the past but I feel like January sometimes isn't the best month, because, you know, everybody's overspent in December, it's the tax bill in January, everybody's dieting, everybody's doing dry January. It's not like the best month, is it? In January I think you should be kind to yourself and not put too much pressure on yourself, plus it's absolutely freezing, it's cold outside. I think it's good just to kind of refocus and think ‘what do I want from the year’, I think that's a nicer way to do it. ‘What are my goals?’, ‘What do I want to focus on this year’ and kind of be gentler with myself, becauseJanuary is just such a cold, cold month, it's hard enough, but I'm so glad I've got my career to be focused on.”

You’ve mentioned your children already, and you co-parent them don’t you so can I ask you how you fare with that when it comes to Christmas time? Have you got any advice for other co-parents out there?

“I mean, I don't even like calling it co-parenting. I'm sick of it. It's just like such a s***** word, really, because I didn't really feel like a co-parent. I just don't, I mean, it's just rubbish. There's no point in sugar coating it. Co-parenting is really hard. It's rubbish. If someone had a good co-parenting relationship, then I think it's really rare. Yeah, I don't like it, but it is what it is. That's the other thing with co-parenting as well, when you're honest about it, I think that can help people. There's no point sugarcoating and going ‘oh it's great' when it's not.”

I'm sure people appreciate the honesty! Now, if we go further back than the year just gone, can I ask you for some of the things you're most proud of throughout your life?

“I mean, I'm not really like that. I don't really talk about things so much. I suppose I'm very English - we're just self-depricating. But I kind of feel like I'm very much just a mum really. I'm proud of being a mother, and I'm proud of my beautiful children. I feel very lucky that I've had some amazing opportunities and had amazing experiences but yeah.”

You started your career very young so had you always wanted to be an actress?

“So I probably started when I was nine. I started as a child actress so kind of grew up in the show. I feel really lucky that I've been brought up with those opportunities, and the opportunities that it's then given me.”

You attended Westholme School as a child too, did that have any influence on your confidence and why you wanted to be an actor?

“I loved Westholme as a school. I really did, like I really, really enjoyed it. I moved to Westholme because I really struggled with some bullying at another school that was in Bolton. So my parents moved me to Westholme in year nine, and I loved it. It was when it was a girls school then. So yeah, I really, really, really, really did enjoy it. It was just such a beautiful school. I think I might be sending my middle child, Delilah, to Westholme for secondary school. Yeah, I absolutely loved Westholme. I think it's a brilliant school.”

Are your children currently schooled in Greater Manchester?

“Yeah so it's quite nice actually, because my kids, their dad's southern, he's from Bath, and my kids are Northern, like me, so it's just quite nice.”

Being from the north west, what does it mean to you? You know, you have connections to Manchester, Liverpool, Lancashire…

“I mean, I'm very much a northern girl, but I feel like it's like all over the north, you know. We're just friendly, aren't we? It's in our ways. But yeah, I mean, I would eventually like to move to London, but thenI do get a bit homesick, because I feel like, when you're a northern girl, you're northern with everything, aren't you? You just are.”

And for any Northwest youngsters who want to become actors, would you offer them any advice?

“I think it's confidence, really, isn't it? And I think acting, to be honest with you, is good for all children. You know, those children that are really, really shy, if you just kind of put them in their comfort zone and work on the confidence. There’s those children that really thrive in acting and go on to really pursue it but acting is good for even those that don't want to be actors, because it can help them work on their confidence.”

Can you share what helped you find your confidence over the years?

“ I mean, I was always confident as a child, but I feel like, when you are in the public eye, throughout your life, you have to just get a tougher skin with things, because, you know, people can comment on you, especially when you put yourself on social media. So you just have to grow a thicker skin and take things with a pinch of salt, if that makes sense.”

You mentioned social media there and you do receive some unacceptable hate online sometimes- do you have a message for any trolls out there?

“To be honest with you, a lot goes over my head, really, because I'm very confident with myself, I know who I am and I'm older as well, I’m 35. But, I could never imagine spending my time commenting anything negative on someone's social media, because I'm too busy, I've got things to do! So I think if you are going to comment something on some social media, then let it be positive and let it lift someone. Because why would you ever go out of your way to not, you know?”

Do you think any of your children will enter acting as well?

“My children so far, they're very, very, very sporty and very athletic, which I love, and I definitely think as well, like sports and being athletic, it's great for your mental health. So I'm quite pleased so far, really, that my children have chosen sporty choices. It’s nice because their dad obviously is a sportsman so I'm pleased that my children have got that from him because I haven't got one sporty bone in my body. I can't really do anything like that.”

Final question then, for any mums out there who may be struggling right now, do you have any advice for them?

“Being a mum is the best job in the world. I love nothing more than being a mum. But of course, it can be difficult, and I think it's just a constant struggle. I do think it's nice for us to be honest, as mums, on the hard days. I definitely feel as well that social media is such a big thing now, like what we see on TikTok and what we see on Instagram, I definitely think it's important for mothers to listen and see relatable motherhood things. Whether it be on Tiktok, Instagram, or a podcast, if other mothers, that are influencers, keep it real, it helps you feel like you’re supported. And also, I think, as well, when you're a mum, it's making sure you’re not isolating yourself, you’re going to baby groups and stuff like that, spending time with other mums and having that support.”