Helen

Helen Flanagan was left humiliated after she struggled to remember the name of a TV legend while appearing on an episode of the celebrity version of The Weakest Link

Former Coronation Street star Helen Flanagan’s memory was put to the test while appearing on the celebrity version of The Weakest Link. When asked by host Romesh Ranganathan to name which month shared the surname of a Top Gear host, the former soap star, 35, took an awkwardly long pause while figuring out the answer.

And this left the other contestants, including rapper Konan from Krept and Konan, in utter disbelief. This came after she was shown a picture of James May, who co-hosted the hit motoring show for many years, alongside Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond.

When the image was revealed, Romesh asked the now turned reality TV star: “Look at your screen, this TV presenter shares his surname with which month of the year?”

Taking an awkwardly long pause she then answered the question after a reported 20 seconds. But she gave a correct answer, to which the mum of three yelped “yes”, in response to being told the good news.

Speaking about the show, former Coronation Street actress Julie Hesmondhalgh, who does the voiceover said : “Helen took so long to get the month question that I had enough time to make a cup of tea and go to the shop for biscuits – but she did getit right in the end.”

After receiving the most amount of votes, Helen said: “Wow – that is so bad, I am so shocked. I got the main question right.” And comedian Tim Vine added: “The thing that made me do it was just before a correct answer when you waited for, I think, six minutes. It was quite a long time.”

In an attempt to redeem herself, Helen hit back saying: “But did I get that answer right?” Biting back Tim answered: “Yes, but the clock was going down.” Doing his best to keep the peace, host Romesh chimed in saying: “If it makes you feel any better she seems pretty chilled about it.”

But this is not the first time Helen has appeared on the show as she attempted to excel last year. The mum of three has been off our screens for many years since playing Rosie in the popular ITV soap.

During her previous stint, Romesh asked her: “In geology, the White Cliffs of Dover are principally formed of what substance, chalk or cheese?”

But, assumingly without thinking, she answered “cheese,” which undoubtedly left her fellow contestants bowing their heads. And it also caused a stir on social media.

Away from the spotlight, it looks as though Helen is keen to get her love life back n track. In an interview with the Mirror, she admitted: “I’m open to dating, but I’m just so, so busy with the kids. “

She added: “When you’re 19 you can go out in Manchester and come home with a boyfriend a few days later, but I’m 35 now, I’m not really going to go on a night out am I, really?”

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In the world of child prodigies, novelists are the rarest breed. Barbara Newhall Follett, born in Hanover, N.H., in 1914, fit the bill. By the time she was 9 years-old she had completed her first novel, a subsequent draft of which was published by Knopf when she was 12. Two years after that, she released her second novel. Both were met with critical acclaim, and Newhall became a celebrity in the publishing world.

Nearly a decade later, after a fight with her adulterous husband, the 25-year-old Follett left her apartment in Brookline, Mass., with $30 in her pocket and a notebook. She was never seen or heard from again. The mystery of the vanished former child genius has pulled at the public imagination ever since, resulting in a number of books and articles about her life and disappearance, including a 2019 essay in the Los Angeles Review of Books speculating that Newhall had committed suicide by ingesting barbiturates.

Barbara Follett, a child literary prodigy, is the subject of a new musical titled “Perfect World.”

(Courtesy of Stefan Cooke / Farksolia.org)

A world-premiere musical can now be added to the growing list of Newhall-themed explorations. “Perfect World,” written by Alan Edmunds and composed by Richard Winzeler, with lyrics by both men, opens Saturday at the El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood, running through Nov. 9.

The project marks Edmunds’ debut as a librettist. The retired psychologist — who specialized in gifted children — hit upon the idea of creating a musical about Follett’s life after a deep dive into her archives at Columbia University almost 15 years ago.

“As I’m reading through this, I start to feel the tragedy of what really happened to her,” Edmunds said during an interview at the theater over the pounding of hammers and the buzzing of drills as the detailed set was put together. “I thought this is the hero’s journey. Unfortunately, it’s not a happy ending.”

Edmunds was so inspired by the 15 boxes of archival material, including hundreds of hand-typed letters that Follett wrote to dozens of relatives and acquaintances, and endless lyrical descriptions of the imaginary world of Farksolia at the heart of her debut novel, “The House Without Windows,” that he drafted his initial outline for the musical on his knee while taking the subway from Columbia to Broadway to see “La Cage aux Folles.”

The show’s team took creative license in the retelling of Follett’s story, but for the most part Edmunds adhered to the broad strokes of her short, vibrant life. The musical hops back and forth between two story lines: Follett’s experiences up until her disappearance, and the nationwide investigation that unfolded afterward, led by the dogged Capt. Stahl and forever pushed forward by her grieving mother, Helen Thomas Follett.

Follett’s childhood was marked by unhappiness, Edmunds said, noting that Helen, who wrote for a commercial shipping company, and Follett’s father, a Knopf literary editor named Wilson Follett, fought often.

“They were at each other hammer and tongs,” Edmunds said. “And even when they wrote about Barbara, subsequently, you could feel the animosity between them.”

This made sense because about a year after the publication of Barbara Follett’s first book, Wilson left Helen for a much younger woman, moving in with her in Greenwhich Village. Her father’s desertion dealt a crushing blow to Barbara, who adored him. She subsequently embarked on a sailing journey with Helen from New York to Barbados and then on through the Panama Canal. Barbara became seriously ill during the journey — the result of nerves and depression, Helen thought.

Barbara Follett, a child literary prodigy, is the subject of a new musical titled “Perfect World.”

(Courtesy of Stefan Cooke / Farksolia.org)

Around that time, Follett met and fell in love with a 25-year-old sailor named Edward Anderson. Helen did not approve, and Edmunds said she conspired to get Anderson fired from his position as second mate. The loss of Anderson was the second major blow in Follett’s life, Edmunds said, and it’s a thread that runs through the musical, leading to Follett’s meeting with a recent Dartmouth graduate named Nickerson Rogers — the man who would become her husband, and who would eventually leave her after having an affair with her best childhood friend.

The couple shared a love of nature, and before they were married, spent months hiking and camping together along the Appalachian Trail. Photos from the early 1930s show a slender, bare-legged Follett with short-cropped hair, sitting beside an open fire with a cooking pan and an old tin coffee pot.

Follett’s life was filled with crushing disappointment and near-constant stress, but nature provided a release. This is likely why she conjured up the perfect world of Farksolia at such a young age. It was an escape, and Follett packed it with as much detail as possible, including its own system of mathematics, its own language — Farksoo — and its own alphabet.

The heroine of “The House Without Windows” is a young girl named Eepersip who runs away from home to live contentedly with her animal friends in the woods. If it sounds simple, it was. But that was also its genius.

Critics loved it and it sold more than 20,000 copies upon its initial printing.

“I can safely promise joy to any reader of ‘The House Without Windows.’ Perfection,” wrote the English author of children’s books, Eleanor Farjeon, in a review.

Barbara Follett, a child literary prodigy, is the subject of a new musical titled “Perfect World.”

(Courtesy of Stefan Cooke / Farksolia.org)

There are many theories about what happened to the adventurous and headstrong young woman after she vanished, including that she was killed by her husband, who had demanded she stop writing and failed to report her missing until two weeks after she left. Others think she simply moved far away, changed her name and continued to write under a pseudonym. Then there is the recently surfaced idea that she went to a family-owned cottage in the woods and swallowed enough barbiturates to end her life. That theory holds that a body discovered in the late 1940s was misidentified as another woman, when it was actually Follett.

Edmunds has given the matter extensive thought and believes that Follett loved life too much to kill herself. The idea that appeals to him the most comes from a crumb of a clue in Follett’s archives — a letter from the sailor Anderson that Follett received a short time before her disappearance. It could be surmised from her letters that she never stopped loving Anderson. Could it be that she went to find him when her husband’s affair became known to her?

Edmunds ultimately decided not to go down the rabbit hole of speculation about Follett’s demise, opting instead to focus the musical on Follett’s life, “What she did, how she rescued herself, how she was so engaged and connected to nature, and how she wanted people to take care of each other and be good to each other,” Edmunds said. “How we could have a better world.”

Helen Skelton and Gethin Jones looked cosy together as they posed for photographs on the Daily Mirror Pride of Britain red carpet this week – despite a suggestion they had split

BBC bosses reportedly want popular duo Helen Skelton and Gethin Jones to come clean about the true nature of their relationship – for the sake of the viewers.

More than 1.5million people tune into Morning Live every weekday on BBC One, and see Helen and Gethin discuss topical issues. It was understood they had embarked on a relationship since working together on the programme, but speculation of a split swirled a few months ago.

But on Monday night, Gethin, 47, put his arm around 42-year-old Helen on the Daily Mirror Pride of Britain red carpet in London. The cosy photographs led to further speculation the couple had rekindled their romance, but the “confusion” has reportedly irked some management at the BBC.

One boss told the Daily Mail: “There’s a common feeling among them [BBC bosses] that it’s time for Helen and Gethin to confirm where they stand and stop playing around with the viewers. It’s time for clarity.

“Standing together on that red carpet has only confused viewers, who truly do want them to be an item, and it’s not fair anymore to keep the speculation going. It’s starting to feel on purpose as they’re really leaning into it.”

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Gethin was one of the original hosts of Morning Live when it first aired five years ago, and Helen joined him in 2023. She started the post around one year after splitting with Richie Myler, a now retired rugby league player, with whom she has three children.

Chatter emerged Gethin and Helen’s friendship had become a relationship in May this year after the presenters were seen leaving the BAFTAs together. Though neither confirmed a relationship, they were spotted again with each other off-set several times in the spring. Similar gossip spread this week after the pictures at the Daily Mirror Pride of Britain event, which the stars reportedly left within minutes of each other.

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Yet Gethin, who in 2011 split from fellow Welsh star opera singer Katherine Jenkins, nor Helen have confirmed or denied whether or not they are together now.

It is thought when Helen, a former Blue Peter host, was brought in to join Gethin on Morning Live the BBC hoped the pair would build a strong rapport to continue its success in its timeslot.

When Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan were chosen to launch This Morning on ITV in 1998, it quickly became a success and, though the pair were long married by then, it is believed their strong charisma together drew in the viewers. The BBC, it is understood, felt that a similar onscreen chemistry was exactly what it needed to win the daytime ratings war in 2023 – and it was undoubtedly worked onscreen.

Chatter remains whether that move has seen things blossom off it too.

CELEBRITIES have stepped out in their finery for tonight’s Pride of Britain Awards.

Looking sensational while hitting the red carpet, the likes of GK Barry, Amy Dowden and Helen Flanagan, Maura Higgins, Tasha Ghouri and many others have posed up a storm ahead of the emotional night.

The Pride of Britain Awards is an annual event that honours unsung heroes from up and down the United Kingdom.

The awards celebrate individuals who have demonstrated exceptional courage, bravery, and achievement.

They are awarded to those who have overcome adversity or made a significant difference in their communities. 

Stepping out on Monday night for the event, many famous faces gathered at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London.

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STUNNING STAR

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Helen Flanagan left onlookers stunned as she wowed in a black and white ensemble.

The very chic gown she donned was black with white edging and accents.

Sailing down to the ground, the sleek fitted dress was adorned in sparkling diamantes that glimmered beneath the lights.

Helen wore her blonde locks in an up-do and posed up a storm with her hand on her hip.

The dress had an ample amount of drama to it, and sailed down to the ground, trailing behind her.

Love Island and I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! beauty Maura Higgins stole the night in a completely sheer lace number.

Another Love Island alum, Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu dared all in a very risque ensemble.

The stunning star wore a cut out black frock, which bared her hips and midriff.

She looked sensational in the corseted black gown, which was see-through and left little to the imagination.

Though the dress was made from lace and incredibly fitted, Maura’s frock boasted of a huge billowing train which jolted out from her bottom.

GK Barry was one of the first arrivals of the night, and turned heads in a sexy black lace gown.

The lace dress featured a high neck and sailed all the way down to the ground.

GK, whose name is Grace, wore her blonde locks in a sleek up-do.

Another early arrival of the night was Strictly Come Dancing star Amy Dowden.

The Welsh dancing sensation wore a striking purple frock for the occasion.

Ashley James was next to arrive, looking sensational in a metallic frock.

Posing for the cameras before heading inside to watch the prestigious and heartwarming ceremony, Ashley smiled as she displayed her stunning dress.

With a sweetheart neckline, the strapless silver gown had a corset-style upper and ruching on the midsection.

Love Island‘s Tasha Ghouri also brought the glamour on Monday night.

Stepping out in a strapless powder blue dress, Tasha looked amazing as she showed off her leg thanks to the thigh high split.

The dress had a drop waist and was ruched to one side, with the thigh high split showing off Tasha’s endless pins as the dress trailed behind her.

The Only Way Is Essex hunk Joey Essex also attended the star-studded evening.

He rocked a black suit with a white shirt, and looked ultra suave in the process.

Freddy Brazier and his pregnant ex-girlfriend looked content as they cosied up to one another on the red carpet.

He wore all green, while she opted for a lemon figure-hugging gown that displayed her bump.

Television starlet Carol Vorderman looked sensational in a sleek and slinky black gown.

Standing on the red carpet the former Countdown siren smiled sweetly as she showed off her slender curves in the understated frock.

Montana Brown channelled her inner autumn goddess as she wore a burgundy frock on the red carpet.

Looking amazing as she posed outside of the event, the former Love Island starlet held a black clutch bag as she rocked a neutral makeup look on Monday night.

Laura Kenny followed Montana’s lead in a wine-coloured frock.

The former professional track and road cyclist who specialised in track endurance events, showed off her toned pins as she posed on the red carpet.

EastEnders star Louisa Lytton made a statement in a fitted black dress, featuring a sweetheart neckline and red statement sleeves.

The stunning brunette completed the look with a red lip as she beamed on the red carpet.

Love Island’s Faye Winter wore a powdery lilac gown for the occasion.

The silk frock had a structured mid section, a lace upper, no straps and a mini train.

She wore her blonde locks down and in a wavy style, with her makeup kept glowy and bronzed.

Liberty Poole, also from Love Island, left little to the imagination in a plunging silver gown.

Showing off her cleavage, Liberty looked stunning as she wore the revealing dress with cutout sections.

Yet another Love Island alum, Gabby Allen, rocked a dazzling frock.

Showing off her slender figure, Gabby stunned onlookers as she pouted while donning a dark purple lipstick.

Emily Andre, Junior Andre, Princess Andre and Peter Andre attended the glitzy event.

Posing for a family snap on the red carpet, the foursome looked ultra glamorous and suave as she beamed for the cameras.

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Recent Love Island stunners Yasmin Pettet, Toni Laites and Shakira Khan attended as a trio.

Yasmin wore all black, Toni wore a white frock, and Shakira stunned in gold.

HELEN Flanagan has been forced to slash the price of her £1.5million mansion AGAIN after struggling to sell her family pad amid money woes.

The former Coronation Street star, 35, had already slashed more than £300,000 off the price of the house she shared with ex Scott Sinclair.

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Now Helen has been forced to reduce the price again for a second time after just fourth months of being on the market.

Helen first put the £1.5million six-bedroom family home up for sale in May, before reducing it to £1.195million just four weeks later. 

Now, the detached, 5,000sq ft home can be snapped up for a cheeky £995,000.

The former couple, who have three children together, bought the property at Belmont, near Bolton, in June 2021 for £840,000.

It has five reception rooms, six bathrooms and six bedrooms including two en-suites.

The house is situated on the edge of moors and is said to have “breathtaking views”.

Helen, who has spoken openly about “losing all her money” in the past, recently opened up being forced to downsize.

She said: “It actually makes me sad that I’m going to be leaving soon because I actually put so much effort into it.

“When we moved I put like a lot lot of my savings into doing the house up and making it look really beautiful. 

“But it’s a big house. It’s an eight bedroom house, which is obviously really hard to keep on top of.”

Meanwhile, Helen has shown off her evil stepmother credentials as she debuted her panto outfit for the first time.

The actress will play the evil stepmother in Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs at Liverpool‘s M&S Bank Arena in December.

The stunning star donned a sequinned red and black dress, with black feathered sleeves, and wore a gold and red diamante tiara on her head.

She also held aloft a red apple, symbolic of the poisonous apple so relevant to the Snow White storyline.

A source previously told The Sun: “Helen is excited for panto season and can’t wait to get into character, she’s a brilliant actress and knows how to put on a show.

“She’ll also be pocketing a pretty penny, celebrities and soap stars make good money doing panto and always look forward to it as some extra income.”

But despite being about to make her first foray into the world of pantomime, Helen is not looking forward to being alone this Christmas.

Helen, shares daughters Matilda, nine, Delilah, six, as well as four-year-old son Charlie, with her ex Scott Sinclair.

However, the ex-Coronation Street star also recently told The Sun that she was spending Christmas without her children this year, as she and former Chelsea footballer Scott, who most recently played for Bristol Rovers, live so far apart.

But Helen explained: “”I’ll do something in November – a really nice long weekend then I feel like I’ve had my Christmas period with them.”

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HELEN Flanagan has hit back at cruel mum shamers while wearing a tiny bra and defending her boob job decision.

The former Coronation Street starlet, 35, has taken to Instagram to defend her boob job after cruel trolls left nasty comments on a recent snap she shared online.

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Over the weekend, Helen shared some glam snaps of her donning a chic dress.

Cruel trolls were quick to share their thoughts on her look, with one writing at the time: “Who on earth is she? dress is too small anyway.”

And in a sizzling video where she donned lingerie earlier this summer, another troll penned: “You really should save that for the bedroom.”

But now Helen has hit back at the haters with a defiant message.

Taking to her Instagram stories on Sunday, Helen explained how she attended the “most beautiful wedding” over the weekend before showing everyone her Pride outfit.

Helen could be seen donning a tiny bra with a silver sequin suit.

She then said how she would “probably get nasty comments” because she’s showing off her cleavage.

Helen went on to add how she has three kids and breast fed for around three years in total.

“Honestly, when I finished breast-feeding, I could have tied my boobs in a bow. They was so bad,” she confessed.

The next slide then saw Helen showing off her boob job after three pregnancies in an Instagram reel.

She explained how she went under the knife because she was “so self conscious”.

Helen then spoke to her fans again in the next slide where she said she has naturally always had “really big boobs”.

“Before I had kids, I had natural E cup boobs,” she confessed.

She later added how she gets comments “all the time” where people say “oh, you’re a mum, you should cover up” and “your kids would be ashamed of you”.

I don’t think there’s anything shameful about being confident or about being sexy. I don’t think that’s a bad thing.

Helen Flanagan

Helen hit back saying: “This is actually my body.”

She noted that even though she has had surgery from breast feeding and had excess skin, despite having had an implant put in each of them – they are now their natural size and how they always were.

“Should I be ashamed of how I look because I’m a woman and this is how I look?” she asked.

“So, I don’t think there’s anything shameful about being confident or about being sexy. I don’t think that’s a bad thing.

“I don’t understand how that makes you a bad mum?” she said, sounding confused.

“I’m not perfect, but I try and show my children the importance of being kind,” Helen added, noting how she would never want them to “drag other women down”.

She explained how she wants her daughters to grow up being kind to other women, and kind in general.

“That, I think, is good parenting,” Helen slammed before making a dig at people who call her out for wearing a low cut dress, adding “that’s not nice”.

“That’s bad parenting,” she added.

Helen went on to say how she wants her daughter to dress in ways that make her feel confident as she grows up.

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The Thursday Murder Club star Helen Mirren had a throwback moment in the Netflix film as it paid tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II.

WARNING: This article contains spoilers from The Thursday Murder Club.

Helen Mirren experienced a nostalgic moment in The Thursday Murder Club as the Netflix film honoured the late Queen.

The legendary actress has graced screens in countless acclaimed productions throughout her career, including Prime Suspect, Hitchcock, The Madness of King George, Gosford Park and the Fast and Furious franchise.

However, it was her 2006 Academy Award-winning performance as the late Queen Elizabeth II that truly cemented her legacy, portraying the monarch who tragically died aged 96 in September 2022.

The film, penned by The Crown mastermind Peter Morgan, explores the Royal Family’s response following Princess Diana’s tragic death, as mounting public pressure from newly appointed Prime Minister Tony Blair (Michael Sheen) forces their hand.

It proved a delightful throwback when the 80-year-old star adopted a remarkably similar appearance in Netflix’s newest big-screen offering The Thursday Murder Club.

As the investigative team begins examining a property developer’s murder, pensioner Elizabeth Best (portrayed by Helen Mirren) decides to go “undercover” at the local police station.

Emerging from her bedroom, Elizabeth sports a lengthy checked skirt, cardigan, headscarf, oversized spectacles and walking stick.

She informs her husband: “I’m going out for the day, if you need me, just call me”, whilst Stephen Best (Jonathan Pryce) assures her he’ll manage perfectly well.

He then chuckles: “What on earth are you wearing? You look like the Queen.

“Do I?” Elizabeth questions, a smile playing on her lips.

Stephen, who is living with dementia, then comments: “That was a sad day. The funeral.”

Elizabeth enquires: “Do you remember that?”, to which he responds: “Of course I do. September 19, 2022. We watched it on the telly. You were obsessed with the security arrangements.”

She chuckles and concurs when Elizabeth informs him she’s “got a plan”, leading him to gently caress her face and say: “Oh my darling Elizabeth, you’ve always got a plan.”

Pryce, who plays Stephen, also has a Royal link as he portrayed Prince Philip in the final two series of The Crown on Netflix.

The Thursday Murder Club will premiere on Thursday, August 28, on Netflix.

HELEN Flanagan was flooded with praise as she shared her struggle to get her four-year-old off to bed.

The former Coronation Street actress was given a boost by her Instagram followers who gushed she was doing an “amazing job” and making little Charlie “feel safe” despite the night-time mayhem.

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Helen, 35, who shares three kids with her footballer fiancé ex Scott Sinclair, uploaded a video showing their hectic night time routine.

The pair’s daughter Matilda was born on June 29, 2015, with second little girl Delilah arriving on June 22, 2018.

Their third child, son Charlie, was born on March 25, 2021, and was the centre of attention in the clip which saw Helen attempting to call him over as she said: “Charlie I love you, can you come over to mummy please.”

He could be heard playing in the background before he sprinted across the screen.

Helen, dressed in her pyjamas and nightwear, tried to emphasise her point and said: “Charlie can you listen please because I love you and want to give you a cuddle.”

She then suggested he. go to bed in the cot which prompted him to come over for a hug.

She asked him: “Do you love your mummy?” to which he replied: “Yes.”

The ITV soap star then placed his little hand on her heart and said: “I am calm, I love my mummy,” words which he then repeated.

Helen then told him they were going to stop “bouncing around” and go to sleep with “cuddles and kisses.”

She conceded they could watch a film but needed to “relax” – in order to then “go crazy” in the morning.

Helen, who successfully kept the youngster chilled, then let out a sigh before turning the camera off.

MUM BATTLES

In her lengthy caption, the proud mum explained the toddler’s behaviour in more detail.

She wrote: “Took this video a few weeks ago of me trying to get Charlie to bed and I think it’s cute.

“Think it was about 11.30pm and he’s still bouncing around the room.

“Love my little boy to death he’s so beautiful, he just has SO much energy. I wouldn’t want him any other way though as I know he’ll be an amazing boy.

“I have to take him to soft play or the park every day to burn off some energy less he’d be swinging from the ceiling. Boys are so different to girls, is it the testosterone?

“I feel like he looks like his dad but personality wise is a boy version of me.”

Helen, who played Rosie Webster in Corrie, added: “I don’t like to label children as I think we can over label now and children can play up to it but I suppose I’m neurodivergent and I’m his mummy.

“I also get very triggered by too many sounds all at the same time and struggle to keep calm, I also get really touched out.

“I still co sleep with my kids. Matilda’s too big now but we all just sleep in the same room, it’s what works for us and I’m that exhausted by the end of the day that I just want to sleep.

“Matilda cuddles up to her brother and Delilah sleeps next to me. I’ve tried to get them into their own rooms but they just get really upset and anxious so I don’t bother as they will naturally grow out of it.

“It can be really hard when they are little but also I know that I’m going to want these times back one day too.”

Referring to her plush cream room featured in the video she added: “All I do is tidy up and my house is always a mess and it’s always chaos.

“Charlie’s pulled down these curtains before and smashed my window with a football.

“He’s a different boy for his dad than he is with me. I do feel like with a boy having a constant male presence really helps. When he’s naughty I get too tired and he’s too heavy for me to carry and too fast to catch.

“I also really struggle with car journeys with Charlie, he thinks it’s a game to unbuckle his car seat, so I try and drive when he’s sleeping.

“I think reception and starting school for Charlie will be really good for him, I haven’t done phonics or practised writing his name, it will be a task in itself to get him sitting on his bottom.”

FAN PRAISE

Helen was inundated with messages of support from her famous mates as well as fans.

RHOC alum Tanya Bardsley said: “He reminds me of my Ralphi a beautiful energy.”

MTV’s Charlotte Dawson added: “This is so cute and chaotic at the same time … wouldn’t have it any other way.”

One fan then wrote: “Think this is amazing. You kept calm and in turn that helped him it’s called Co regulation for the uneducated out there who are saying show him who is in charge.”

Another wrote: “Adorable @hjgflanagan you’re doing amazing job.”

A third put: “Well done mumma. This is beautiful. You’re making sure he feels safe and loved.”

One simply added: “Thank you for posting this. So real.”

It came just days after she was cruelly mum-shamed for her glam outfit with a plunging neckline.

The social media positivity also comes after she was cruelly trolled on the Tube.

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Morning Live star Helen Skelton had some warm words for her Channel 5 co-star as she shared a gushy tribute post that he has since responded to

Morning Live star Helen Skelton has took to Instagram with a joyful post to pay tribute to her beloved co-star while confirming to fans she’d be taking a brief break.

The TV star, who is mum to three adorable children Louis, Ernie and Elsie, has been so busy with filming commitments that she’s vowed to “switch off” her phone as she returns to her family life.

It’s clearly been a hectic period for the former Strictly star, with many projects in the pipeline, including her newest on-screen adventure alongside former BBC Breakfast star Dan Walker.

The pair have been dazzling their loyal legion of fans with their show Yorkshire Great and Small with Dan and Helen – which is still available to stream on My5.

Much to the delight of fans Helen had good news to also share, announcing that her show with Dan had been greenlit for a another series and would be returning the channel in September.

Announcing the joyful information, she took to Instagram with an slew of happy snaps alongside the Channel 5 newsreader, while paying tribute to Dan, the crew and confirmed filming had now finished.

Helen told her followers: “That’s a WRAP… Snatched a load of afternoons to wander around Yorkshire with this legend. Met some epic people. Ate some sensational food. Celebrated some stunning landscapes that hopefully give you some ideas for adventures. Laughed A LOT.”

The Morning Live host confirmed: “Series starts @channel5_tv in September,” and offered up some kind words: “Thanks to the hardest working man in the game for always making me belly laugh @mrdanwalker at the most ridiculous things.

“Thanks to a crew who have become family over the last few years and for humouring our self proclaimed glorious nonsense.”

She signed off the post, adding: “Phone and shoes off for the foreseeable,” alerting her fans that she would be taking a well deserved break for the time being.

Helen’s co-star, Dan was quick to respond to her post, pointing out a major detail before any misconceptions were formed. In the abundance of pictures shared, one image saw the pair cosied up outside what appeared to be some kind of castle or church.

Dispelling rumours before they even began to swirl, Dan replied: “Just for clarity… the last photo is not a wedding snap. Thank you my friend for so many fun afternoons. You are a wonderful human to be around.”

Fans appeared to be too elated over the happy news that their show would be returning to screens and appeared to not even notice the last snap of the pack.

Racing to the post, masses joined in with celebration: One person penned: “Dynamic duo are back.”

Another online user beamed: “Love this programme look forward to it,” as a third stated: “Fantastic can’t wait to view it,” while a fourth wrote: “You two are a good partnership, always a pleasure to watch.”

Yorkshire Great and Small with Dan and Helen is available to stream on MY5

Gethin Jones has further fuelled speculation he’s in a new romance with his Morning Live co-star Helen Skelton after sending her a flirty birthday message

Gethin Jones has continued to fuel romance rumours with his Morning Live co-star Helen Skelton after he sent her a sweet birthday message on social media.

The TV presenters have been close pals for a while, but their friendship is said to have developed into something more after they were spotted leaving the BAFTAs together back in May. Though they have yet to confirm they are in a relationship, they have been spotted hanging out off set and enjoying a spa day at a country club recently.

In a further clue things are hotting up between the pair, Gethin, 47, took to his Instagram stories to publicly wish Helen happy birthday as she turned 42 on Saturday. Posting a photo of animal-loving Helen surrounded by a flock of sheep, Gethin wrote ‘Pen-blwydd Hapus’, which is Happy Birthday in his native Welsh.

He then joked: “Having the best time hanging out with your mates,” and added a kiss at the end of the message, suggesting their relationship is more than platonic.

The single stars have both had their hearts broken in recent years. Gethin’s engagement to Katherine Jenkins was called off in 2011 and he’s had a string of short relationships since. While Helen split from ex-husband Richie Myler – who she shares three kids with – back in 2022.

Helen and Leeds Rhinos rugby player Richie, 35, had been married eight years and had just welcomed their third child, Elsie, when he they split. He now has two more children with Stephanie, also 35, whose millionaire father Andrew Thirkill is president of Richie’s rugby club.

Shocking her followers at the time, Helen broke the upsetting news on Instagram and said: “Very sad to say that Richie and I are no longer a couple. He has left the family home. We will be doing our best to co-parent our small children.”

Writing in her 2023 autobiography, In My Stride, Helen recalled her heartbreaking split and described how she hadn’t seen it coming. She wrote: “I was in shock. I know that following break-ups, people often say they didn’t see it coming and it sounds like a cliché, but that was me.”

Despite Richie leaving her, Helen refuses to cut him out of her life entirely for the sake of their kids. She says she always wants her children to have a father figure and know their parents were once in love and happy. It’s for this reason she’s decided to keep photos of her and Richie on her Instagram, instead of deleting them. She explained: “I want them to know that we loved each other, but things change and that’s OK too.”

Welshman Gethin has not been romantically linked to anyone since he dated First Dates star Cici Coleman. In the past, he is also thought to have briefly dated former The Only Way Is Essex star Lucy Mecklenburgh.

Gethin and Helen first sparked rumours of a possible romance in March when they both took part in a 24-hour roller skate challenge for Comic Relief which raised £34 million for charity. Gethin has publicly praised Helen’s resilience as he gushed about how he loved spending time with her.

While Helen publicly said of Gethin: “My dear @gethinjonesc… You are some man. I don’t publicly say often enough how much love and respect I have for you my friend because I assume it is well known, but for the record you’re a legend and I am beyond grateful to have you by my side on the rink, the sofa and beyond.’

So if Helen has found love again with Gethin it would be some happy news. And it certainly looks like it’s heading that way. A source told MailOnline: “Helen and Gethin have an extremely close working relationship and there’s a feeling in recent months their friendship has blossomed into a deeper connection. They’re both keen to keep a lid on it to avoid public scrutiny, but there’s no denying their closeness both on and off screen.”

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