The Coronation Street cobbles may be full of drama onscreen, but Helen Flanagan is now opening up about the emotional toll her time in the soap spotlight took behind the scenes. And with Corrie recently reintroducing several younger characters, fans are beginning to wonder: could a Rosie Webster return be in the pipeline?
Helen’s Childhood Struggles
Well before Rosie became a Weatherfield loose cannon, Helen Flanagan was balancing fame with real-world stress. In an interview with the Daily Star, the soap veteran admitted she was subjected to brutal bullying throughout her school days, all because she was a known face on one of the UK’s largest soaps.
Helen remembered how her sensitive personality made her a target, and her parents sent her to a private girls’ school to have a clean start. Even that was not easy to manage, between education and soap filming. Because she had to remain in education until the age of 16, Corrie made provisions for tutors on set to enable her to maintain her four hours of weekly studies.
From Set Schooling to Protective Parenting
There were some high points amidst the difficulties, Helen conceded. She recalled enjoying the time learning from other young cast members such as Brooke Vincent, Jack P. Shepherd, and Richard Fleeshman, even going so far as to say that she was the “geek” among them. Nevertheless, the bullying took its toll.
Now a mother herself, Helen admits that selecting her daughter Matilda’s secondary school has reminded her of past fears. Her fear is that her daughter, who’s “a sweetie and soft like me,” could experience similar demons.
Coronation Street Exit… and Potential Return?
Helen first left Coronation Street in 2018 to take maternity leave, with Rosie being written out through a modelling opportunity in Japan the archetypal soap exit. The actress has since stayed in touch with her Corrie clan and insists there’s no ill feeling that’s preventing her from returning to the cobbles.
In reality, when recently quizzed over a return, Helen stated a comeback was “possible”. She told Rosie “still feels like a part of me,” and left viewers speculating whether a return is on the horizon.
Especially now, with the Street welcoming back younger characters, chatter about Rosie’s return is picking up pace. Could Weatherfield be bracing itself for another shock return? But with Helen dropping hints and the casting doors clearly open, fans might just get their wish. Stay tuned to Soap Opera Daily for all your Coronation Street news.
