Former Coronation Street star Helen Flanagan has spoken openly about the health battles that have shaped her adult life, revealing just how deeply they have affected her day-to-day reality.
While promoting her new book, the actress didn’t shy away from the emotional and physical toll of conditions she has lived with for years; and offered a raw insight that goes far beyond the public image many associate with her.
Helen Flanagan Opens Up About ‘Crippling’ OCD and Mental Health
The 33-year-old actress, who shares children Matilda, Delilah, and Charlie with her ex-fiancé, footballer Scott Sinclair, revealed that obsessive compulsive disorder has been a constant presence since her youth.
Appearing on Monday’s February 9 episode of Lorraine, Helen explained that her struggles intensified after becoming a mother for the first time, during a period when she was also facing serious financial hardship. While discussing her book Head and Heart: Break-ups, Breakdowns and Being Rosie, Helen told host Lorraine Kelly that she wanted to focus less on celebrity life and more on mental health.
She explained that the book was never meant to be a traditional memoir, but rather a deeply personal exploration of her mental wellbeing and the breakdown of her relationship. Helen said she felt it was impossible to talk honestly about mental health without sharing the wider context of her life.
She explained that once you begin discussing mental health experiences, you have to “paint the whole picture,” even when that means revisiting painful chapters.
‘I’ve Struggled Since I Was Really Young’
Opening up about OCD, Helen described the condition in stark terms, calling it “crippling.” She shared that she had struggled with it from a very young age but didn’t fully understand what she was dealing with until adulthood.
After the birth of her daughter Matilda, she reached a breaking point and finally found clarity through reading Bryony Gordon’s book, which helped her recognise her own symptoms. Helen recalled the moment she realised what she was facing, saying she read the book and thought, “This is what it is-I’ve got OCD.”
She admitted that while the realisation brought some relief, it didn’t come with easy answers, and she continues to navigate the condition without a clear solution. She also made it clear that the emotional burden of OCD didn’t exist in isolation.
Financial stress, new motherhood, and relationship pressures all collided at once, making that period of her life particularly overwhelming. By sharing her story so openly, Helen Flanagan has offered a rare and unfiltered look at life beyond the spotlight. Stay tuned to Soap Opera Daily for more Coronation Street spoilers.