Helen Flanagan described not having her children with her on Christmas Eve as ‘so unnatural’, after her three kids spent the festive period with their father, Scott Sinclair.
The soap star, 35, and the Bristol Rovers footballer, 36, – who split in 2022 after 13 years together – co-parent their daughters Matilda, 10, and Delilah, seven, and four-year-old son Charlie.
This year the children spent Christmas with Scott while Helen has been busy starring in a pantomime of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in Liverpool.
However, the actress has admitted to struggling with being apart from her little ones, saying that co-parenting ‘is not easy’ during the holidays.
She took to her TikTok on Saturday to voice her sadness over the separation, but insisted that it was about what was best for the kids and that she’s always encouraged their relationship with Scott.
Filming herself sitting in bed in the dark while looking despondent, a melancholic version of Mariah Carey’s classic All I Want for Christmas played in the background.
Helen Flanagan described not having her children with her on Christmas Eve as ‘so unnatural’, after her three kids spent the festive period with their father, Scott Sinclair
The soap star, 35, and the Bristol Rovers footballer, 36, – who split in 2022 after 13 years together – co-parent their daughters Matilda, 10, and Delilah, seven, and four-year-old son Charlie (seen)
This year the children spent Christmas with Scott while Helen has been busy starring in a pantomime of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfsin Liverpool
In the caption, Helen penned: ‘Not having your kids on Christmas Eve feels so unnatural when your [sic] a mummy x.
‘I ended up having a really nice Christmas with my family and my friends, ofcorse [sic] I missed them but it’s not about me it’s about the children and I have always encouraged a relationship with their father x.
‘sending love to all of those that ‘co parent’ I hate calling it that over Christmas, it’s not easy ❤️xxx’.
Helen previously confessed to feeling ‘up and down’ about being away from her kids for over two weeks, while she stars as the Wicked Queen in the pantomime from December 12 to December 28.
While she shared snaps of her enjoying time with her wider family and cuddling her nieces and nephews on Christmas Day, she revealed she was missing Matilda, Delilah and Charlie as she posted photos of them from last year’s Christmas.
Taking to Instagram to open up on navigating co-parenting, she admitted to her followers: ‘Been a bit up and down mood wise the past few days… so not really been on my social so thought we now could have a catch up.
‘I struggled with the thought of the kids going for Christmas a few days before they went x I know it’s just a day. They went 22nd and I don’t get them back till I finish Panto.
‘I actually had a lovely Christmas, of course it wasn’t the same without my babies but I had my niece and my nephews to cuddle.’
However, the actress has admitted to struggling with being apart from her little ones, saying that co-parenting ‘is not easy’ during the holidays
She took to her TikTok on Saturday to voice her sadness over the separation, but insisted that it was about what was best for the kids and that she’s always encouraged their relationship with Scott
Posting a group image of all of her three children, Helen added: ‘Course I missed them but it’s not about me it’s about them and I have always encouraged a relationship with the children with their father.
‘They know how much their mummy loves them and I have very strong bonds with each of my children and my priority is always their happiness.’
While the Corrie star revealed she had not even been able to FaceTime the children while they have been away, due to her less than amicable relationship with ex Scott.
She explained: ‘I have not face timed the children since they have been gone as me and their father don’t have that kind of relationship where we can do that x.
‘I think for the children it’s for the best, especially for Charlie as he might just miss me and get upset x They will be back before I know it x’
She concluded by sharing that she was getting her eldest daughter a phone for Christmas to help their communication, writing: ‘Matilda is getting a phone off me for Christmas as she’s going to secondary school, so will be much easier to communicate when they are away x’.
Over the festive period, Scott took to his Instagram to show himself enjoying time with the kids, sharing snaps of the trio posing in a forest and on a festive trip to an ice rink.
In one video, Scott can be seen holding Delilah’s hand as they glided across the ice, while Charlie sat securely on a child’s skating seat and Matilda confidently skated ahead on her own.
Helen previously confessed to feeling ‘up and down’ about being away from her kids for over two weeks, while she stars as the Wicked Queen in the pantomime from December 12 to December 28 (seen)
While she shared snaps of her enjoying time with her wider family and cuddling her nieces and nephews on Christmas Day, she revealed she was missing Matilda, Delilah and Charlie as she posted photos of them from last year’s Christmas
He and Helen are thought to be on far from friendly terms, with her apparently blocking the footballer and only speaking to via relatives (seen together in 2019)
He later shared a heartwarming snap on his Stories of the children opening their presents, followed by another sweet photo of the family enjoying Christmas dinner together.
‘Merry Christmas everyone, thankful for love, family and all the little moments,’ he penned.
He and Helen are thought to be on far from friendly terms, with her apparently blocking the footballer and only speaking to via relatives.
She recently branded her ex a ‘piece of s***’ on Instagram and last week slammed him for missing Charlie’s nativity performance in order to travel to Abu Dhabi.
Taking to her Instagram, she heaped praise on her mother for ‘practically raising her kids’ while she has been performing in her Liverpool panto.
Alongside a snap of her mother, Julia, cuddling Charlie, she penned: ‘So grateful for my incredible mum who has looked after my children for really the past two months while I’ve been working.’
‘The BEST grandma ever, so lucky to have you mum. All the school runs, all the activities, all the school work, all the washing. Love you.’
Taking to her Instagram, she heaped praise on her mother for ‘practically raising her kids’ while she has been performing in her Liverpool panto
Sources close to the situation claimed they know why Helen publicly condemned her ex, with Scott said to be embracing his ‘Hot Boy Winter’ moment after his split from girlfriend Lauren Davies, 32.
An insider explained that since Scott split from Lauren, he ‘hasn’t been present’ in his children’s lives and is ‘constantly showing off his wealth’ on social media.
As Scott enjoys himself, attending the likes of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Helen has been balancing working full-time in panto and family life.
Helen reportedly liked Lauren and felt it was important that everyone got along, but after their split, everything has blew up with ‘Helen and Scott blocking each other and only communicating through family members’.
