Helen Flanagan has opened up about the reality of raising three children as a busy single mother, admitting that her own mum has become the quiet force keeping her family life running every day.
The former Coronation Street actress, 35, shared a candid glimpse into her home life during an appearance on the Vanessa Feltz Show on Monday, revealing that her mother Julia plays an enormous role in caring for her children while Helen juggles work commitments.
Helen shares three children — Matilda, ten, Delilah, seven, and Charlie, five — with her former partner, footballer Scott Sinclair. And while fans often see the glamorous side of Helen’s life through photoshoots, television appearances and social media updates, she made it clear that behind the scenes, her family relies heavily on her parents.
Speaking honestly, Helen admitted that she does not raise her children alone in the strictest sense. Instead, she said her mother and father help her every single day.
“I have three children and I really do bring them up with my mum and dad,” she explained. “They help me every day.”
Her confession quickly painted a picture that many working parents will understand: school schedules, homework, uniforms, after-school clubs, meals, washing and constant organisation. For Helen, her mother Julia appears to be the person holding all those moving parts together.
The actress admitted that she is often so busy working that she does not even have the class social app used for her children’s school updates. Instead, her mum manages it.
“This sounds bad but I am always working and I don’t even have the class social app,” Helen said. “My mum has the app, she does all the homework.”
She went even further, revealing that Julia does not just help occasionally — she effectively runs the children’s schedules.
“My mum actually runs all my kids’ schedules so my mum is amazing,” Helen said. “My kids have so many activities, football and stuff and because I’m always working my mum goes, ‘Helen you’re doing this, you’re doing that.’”
For many listeners, it was a strikingly honest admission. Helen was not pretending that motherhood is effortless. She was not presenting a polished image of a celebrity mum managing everything perfectly behind closed doors. Instead, she openly credited her mother as the person who helps make her demanding life possible.
And Julia’s role does not stop at school planning.
Helen revealed that her mother also does the washing, prepares school uniforms and cooks for the family. In fact, the actress admitted she would struggle enormously without her.
“She does all my washing, all the uniforms, my mum does all the cooking,” Helen said. “She does everything for me and I would die without her.”
Host Vanessa Feltz responded with a line that many listeners were likely thinking: “Julia is a saint!”
The comment summed up the emotional heart of Helen’s revelation. Behind the actress’s career, television work and single-mum responsibilities is a grandmother doing the kind of unseen labour that keeps many families together.
Helen’s comments also opened up a broader conversation about how much modern parents rely on extended family support, especially grandparents. For some, childcare from parents or in-laws is a convenience. For others, it is the only reason they can continue working, managing school life and keeping up with the emotional demands of raising children.
In Helen’s case, that support appears to be central to her life.
The actress has been navigating motherhood and work since her split from Scott Sinclair, with whom she shares her three children. Since then, her personal life has often been the subject of public interest. She was linked to boxer David Haye in 2023 and later dated Robbie Talbot between 2024 and 2025.
But her latest comments were not about romance or drama. They were about family, responsibility and the reality of needing help.
Helen has recently been balancing motherhood with television work, including her appearance on Celebrity Ex On The Beach, which aired in April. The reality show saw her join a cast that included Jedward star John Grimes, Married At First Sight UK’s Amy Kenyon, TOWIE’s Dani Imbert and Love Island star Toby Aromolaran.
However, Helen’s time on the programme came to an abrupt end when she was voted off after just four episodes.
The exit stunned some of her co-stars, who seemed visibly emotional when the boys were asked to choose someone to leave the villa. Too Hot To Handle star Chase DeMoor delivered the news, explaining that the group had weighed up everyone’s connections before deciding to send Helen home.
“So, we have selected Helen,” he said.
The decision left the group shocked. Dani Imbert immediately shouted, “What?!” while others appeared confused by the choice.
Helen handled the moment gracefully, simply saying: “Thank you so much. Thank you.”
But behind her calm reaction, her fellow contestants were clearly upset. Dani said she did not understand why Helen had been chosen and admitted she was shocked, adding that the boys seemed to love her.
John Grimes also confessed that he had tried to save Helen, while Amy Kenyon was left in tears.
Before leaving, Helen reflected on her disappointment at not finding a romantic connection during her time on the show, but she also made clear that she had formed strong bonds with the women in the villa.
“I do feel sadness that I didn’t find a romantic spark,” she said. “But I honestly feel that the connection I have with the girls. I feel sad leaving them.”
Her exit became emotional because Helen had clearly taken on a caring role within the group. Dani even described her as “the mother of the whole group,” a comment that seemed to reflect how naturally Helen’s nurturing side had come through.
That role mirrors her real life in many ways. Helen is a mother first, even when she is working in entertainment, filming abroad or appearing on reality television.
But as her latest interview revealed, she does not do it alone.
Her mother Julia appears to be the backbone of the family’s daily routine. From homework to laundry, cooking to after-school activities, Julia has become the person making sure Helen’s children have structure and support while their mum works.
Some may judge Helen’s admission. Others may relate to it deeply. Many working parents know that the idea of “doing it all” is often unrealistic, especially when raising multiple children while maintaining a career.
Helen’s honesty may actually be refreshing because it challenges the glossy illusion that celebrity mothers manage everything effortlessly. She is acknowledging what many families already know: raising children often takes a village.
For Helen, that village begins with her mum and dad.
Her comments also show the emotional bond between generations. Julia is not just helping with logistics. She is deeply involved in her grandchildren’s lives — knowing their schedules, supporting their homework, preparing their uniforms and making sure daily family life keeps moving.
That kind of support can be priceless.
And Helen clearly knows it.
Her words were funny, self-deprecating and dramatic in places, but underneath them was real gratitude. She knows her mother’s help allows her to work. She knows Julia’s presence gives her children consistency. And she knows that without that support, life would feel far more difficult.
In a world where celebrity parenting is often filtered through perfect photos and polished captions, Helen Flanagan’s admission felt unusually honest.
She is a single mum. She is working hard. She is often stretched. And yes, her mother is the one running the schedules, doing the washing, helping with homework and keeping the family machine moving.
For Helen, Julia is not just a helpful grandmother.
She is the everyday hero behind the scenes.
