Helen Flanagan was reduced to tears on Instagram on Tuesday as she opened up about the difficulties of navigating single parenthood during the summer holidays.
The former Coronation Street actress, who has three children with ex-fiancé Scott Sinclair, Matilda, 11, Delilah, eight, and Charlie, five, disclosed that the footballer, 37, had not seen their youngsters for close to a month.
Ms Flanagan and Mr Sinclair ended their 13-year relationship in 2022, and the pair were never married despite their long engagement.
The actress’s first post showed her looking visibly drained and emotional, accompanied by a plea for schools to reopen during the six-week break.
Helen Flanagan opened up about feeling overwhelmed while navigating the school summer holidays
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GETTYShe wrote: “Things I’ve heard come out my mouth recently: Can mummy please wipe her bum in peace?, Stop fighting, I am a person, I am not your ‘bro’ I am your mum, No treats if your not good, Can mummy just have 5 minutes?, I love you so much.” (sic)
Later that day, she shared photographs from an outing to Chester Zoo with her two youngest children.
She wrote: “Such a good day @chesterzoo Charlie loved it!!! I knew he would, as he loves animals xxx Dill came too, I really feel in some pics she looks like me.”
The 36-year-old admitted she was feeling deeply overwhelmed after recently moving out of the family home.
Ms Flanagan and Scott Sinclair ended their 13-year relationship in 2022
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She said: “I’m really overwhelmed in the house. There is still so much unpacking and boxes, so it’s chaos, and I can’t return any of my emails or phone calls with these two.”
Ms Flanagan credited her mother and father with being a vital support system, noting that her eldest daughter Matilda had been attending a settling-in day at secondary school while her mum “held the fort.”
She took a pointed swipe at her ex-partner, writing: “The kids’ dad has not had them for nearly a month, so when he does, I’ll get a break.
“I think I speak for all mums over the school holidays – we are tired but love them so much, and so many amazing memories made.”
The influencer expressed a yearning to rediscover her own identity, saying: “I love them so much and I’m so grateful for my children, but I just feel like mummy completely, and I want to find Helen soon too.”
Ms Flanagan also revealed she is neurodivergent and believes all three of her children may be too.
She admitted she had been “in tears” before leaving for the zoo after misplacing her house key and being unable to lock up, only for Charlie to discover it in the car boot.
She added that she was eagerly anticipating the return of the school routine, writing: “I can’t wait to go to the gym, have back physio, have a tidy house, and I really miss my friends. The six hours they are at school, you can do so much.”
Fans of the actress were quick to flood her comments section with messages of support.
“You’re amazing, my girl,” one person posted, as another penned: “Such a beauty!”
Another mum sympathised with the star about the school holidays, writing: “Longest six weeks ever!”
Someone else wrote: “When life gets hard, the best thing to do is keep going.” (sic)
The actress claimed her former fiancé had not had their children for nearly a month
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The emotional outburst comes against the backdrop of a bitter separation that has included a dispute over a £15,000 sofa, which Mr Sinclair allegedly blocked Ms Flanagan from selling on Instagram in May.
Their former six-bedroom Lancashire mansion, which Mr Sinclair purchased for £840,000 in June 2021, was sold just weeks ago for £945,000, significantly below the £1.5 million asking price when it first went on the market in May 2025.
Mr Sinclair, who paid for the home in cash and was its sole registered owner, had been pushing for the sale, while Ms Flanagan had resisted leaving.
The actress has previously spoken about her financial struggles as a single mother, at one point claiming she could not afford taxis to take her son to nursery.
A friend of the television personality previously said: “The relationship has completely broken down. They no longer communicate – everything goes through her parents.”
The tensions between the pair escalated further last December when Ms Flanagan publicly branded Mr Sinclair a “piece of s***” on Instagram after he flew to Abu Dhabi to attend the Grand Prix and missed their son Charlie’s nativity performance.
A separate source had also criticised Mr Sinclair’s approach to the property dispute, saying: “Scott wants to sell to take the money out, but he hasn’t found Helen or the kids a new place. He’s not being reasonable.”
GB News has reached out to Mr Sinclair for comment.