HELEN FLANAGAN LOOKS STUNNING IN OUR EXCLUSIVE BRIDAL PHOTOSHOOT
‘CORRIE’ STAR HELEN FLANAGAN TELLS OK!’S LAURA HILLS ABOUT HER DREAM DAY
Transitioning from crawling around on the floor with her energetic one-year-old daughter Delilah to confidently posing in wedding dresses seems to come easily to Helen Flanagan. The Coronation Street actress squeals with excitement as she slips on her first dress for our exclusive shoot – an off-the-shoulder piece with plunging neckline – and immediately sends a picture to her fiancé Scott Sinclair.
Minutes before, Helen was breastfeeding Delilah while checking with footballer Scott that he’s on track to pick up their four-year-old daughter Matilda from nursery.
‘Being a mum has given me a totally new perspective. I no longer worry about the silly things and I’m more confident in myself. My daughters inspire me to be the best person I can possibly be. I’ve become good at multitasking, too!’ the 28 year old says of how the last few years have changed her.
Today, Helen is modelling a selection of wedding dresses in the stunning Scottish countryside at Mar Hall Golf & Spa Resort, close to her home in Glasgow.
The actress, who has played Rosie Webster on the ITV soap since she was nine years old, got engaged to Scott last June during a family trip to Disneyland Paris. And while they’re determined to marry next year, Helen tells us
they’ve yet to find a venue! ‘We need to hurry up because I want a huge day,’ she laughs.
Here, the actress talks to us about her plans for a very glamorous wedding and the truth about whether she’ll return to Corrie…
You look amazing! Has today got you excited about finding your dress?
Yes! It’s been so nice to try on all the different styles and get a feel for the type of thing I want. I like any excuse to dress up! I started looking for dresses in August, six weeks after I gave birth to Delilah! I breastfed both of my girls and it gets me back into shape really quickly so I felt confident enough to go then. I went with my mum and both girls to Kavelle Couture in Edinburgh, we made a day of it and went for afternoon tea at Balmoral. I’m still looking but I have a wedding dress that I love on hold, I don’t know who had more fun when we went dress shopping, me or Matilda!
Did she like seeing you in the dresses?
The minute she saw me in one she wanted to try one on too. Matilda is super girlie so she got jealous. Luckily the shop owner was really good and let her try some on, so she was in her element. It was so funny seeing a three year old in a wedding dress!
Is it odd seeing yourself in a wedding gown?
As an actress I’m used to getting dressed up, so I didn’t find it weird or emotional. I just loved it! I had a strong idea of the styles I thought I would hate, but once I tried them on I loved them. The dress I have on hold is the opposite of what I thought I wanted. I thought I’d like something with lots of beading but when I tried that sort of thing on it didn’t suit me.
What does it mean to you to marry Scott? We’ve been together for ten years and have two children so I can’t imagine much is going to change. Before I had Matilda and Delilah I wasn’t that fussed about getting married, but now it means a lot to me that we will all have the same surname. I eventually want two more children so I love the idea of us being married and making things official.
You must have changed since you first met… I met Scott when I was 19 so we’ve changed and grown together. We’re a very solid couple, we always have each other’s backs. Not all relationships are able to survive working in this industry but ours has always been great and I think that’s really special.
Why do you think your relationship has stood the test of time?
We’re very different people but that works for us. I’m quite bubbly and always running around, whereas Scott is super laid-back and a very gentle character. He’s such a brilliant dad, he’s really affectionate with the girls, which I love.
What roles will Matilda and Delilah play on the day?
They’ll be my bridesmaids. I’m going to have my nieces and nephews in my bridal party, too, and my best friend Jay [Birmingham] is going to be a bridesman. Matilda and Delilah will wear something that matches me. I’m thinking I might get them mini veils but I’m worried people will think that’s a bit much!
How is the wedding planning coming along? We know we’re going to get married next year but we still don’t have a venue booked! I’m really picky and I’m looking for something perfect. We’re quite a modern couple so I don’t want anything old fashioned, and I definitely don’t want to get married somewhere one of my friends has had their wedding. I know the day is going to go by so quickly, so I want to have a party the next day too. I know this is a silly comparison, but I organised Scott’s surprise 30th party and that went by in the blink of an eye so I want to make the most of the wedding.
The last time we chatted, you hadn’t decided whether to get married here or abroad…
I wanted to do it in the UK but Scott wanted abroad. We’ve finally decided to stay here, though. I want to look my best on my wedding day so I don’t want to be sweating off my make-up in a hot country! I’m going to be super glamorous, you won’t have seen anything like it before [laughs]! It’ll be big hair, big makeup, full on glam. I’m going all out! I don’t think I’m going to be a bridezilla but I do want to be in control, which I can’t be if I do it abroad. I don’t want a wedding planner, I want to do it all myself. Scott did love the idea of going away, but at the end of the day he’s happy for me to have whatever I want.
‘I love the Idea of being married and making things official’
Are you finding the planning stressful?
I’ve been really laid-back so far. When we got engaged I made a promise to myself that I would put all the planning on the back burner until Delilah turned one. I wanted to enjoy my time with her without getting distracted. All three of my sisters have got engaged recently so I feel like I need to get a move on!
Will you invite any of your Corrie co-stars? Sally Dynevor [who plays Sally Webster] and Brooke Vincent [Sophie Webster] will definitely be there. I’ve grown up working with them so they’re like family. I was so excited when Brooke told me she was having a baby. We’ve known each other since we were children and I know she’s going to be an amazing mum. She’s great with children and it’s something she’s wanted for a long time. It’s sad that we live so far apart as we won’t be able to have many play dates.
Do you miss living in Manchester?
I go back to see my parents when I can, but it can be very hard with two children and a partner who is often away for work. Matilda is in nursery now and she does gymnastics and swimming so I can’t interrupt her routine and leave Scott behind whenever I get homesick. If I miss my Corrie family I put the show on and it makes me feel better. I have really settled in Scotland, though – I’m close to a lot of the other Celtic girlfriends and wives, they’ve all made me feel very welcome.
Do you plan to go back to Coronation Street now Delilah is one?
I’ve always said I’ll go back, but I’m still not sure when that will be. I’m a mum now so I have to put my children first. We have to be based in Scotland for Scott’s job and the show is filmed in Manchester so I need to figure out how I’m going to make it work. The door is open for me to go back so I will return at some point!
You split your time between Manchester and Scotland after returning to work following Matilda’s birth. How did you make it work? I’d work Monday to Friday in Manchester and then Friday evening I’d do the four-hour drive back to Glasgow. Then on a Monday morning I’d get up at 5am and head straight into work. It’s been so nice for us as a family to have the last year together, but it is also important to me to keep busy and throw myself back into work.
Why is it important to you to return to work? I didn’t work for a year after I had Matilda and that was strange for me. I’ve worked from a young age and it’s something that’s really important to me, which is why I’ve been doing more since Delilah arrived. I have my maternity
lingerie range, Delilah Ruby, and my own workout programme on TV.FIT. When I fell pregnant the second time I knew I needed something to focus on after giving birth. It’s good for my wellbeing to keep busy and have something that keeps me feeling motivated.
How has being a mum changed your life? Being a mum has given me a totally new perspective on things. I no longer worry about the silly things and I’m more confident in myself. I’ve become good at multi-tasking, too! My daughters inspire me to be the best person I can possibly be and to work hard. Having children is the best thing that’s ever happened to me, they give me a real drive to succeed – that’s why I want two more!
What is life like with two children?
I was really worried about how Matilda was going to react to a sibling. Me and Scott doted on her and I knew it was going to be a big change for her once Delilah arrived. Once a week I get childcare for Delilah and I take Matilda out for a girls’ day to make sure she still gets quality time. We’ll go to the cinema or to the park just the two of us. I make sure I don’t look at my phone during that time so she has my undivided attention. I think it’s so important to make sure you’re not glued to your phone when you’re spending time with your children.
Do you worry about the girls growing up and being on social media?
It’s something I think about a lot. It scares me how young children are when they start using social media, I think Instagram should have a policy that you can only use it if you’re over the age of 16. It really upsets me when I hear about children being bullied online and as a mum that is a concern for me. I love Instagram and the way it lets me control my own image but it does put a lot of pressure on young people and that’s not something I want Matilda and Delilah to experience. I just hope they always feel like they can talk to me, so we can work through things together.
WITH THANKS TO MAR HALL GOLF & SPA RESORT, EARL OF MAR ESTATE, MAR HALL AVENUE, BISHOPTON PA7 5NW. CALL 0141 812 9999 OR VISIT WWW.MARHALL.COM.
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TWITTER.COM/LAURACHILLS PHOTOGRAPHS BY KARIS KENNEDY ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHS BY TONY WARD STYLING BY LORRAINE MCCULLOCH HAIR BY JAY BIRMINGHAM MAKE-UP BY KIRSTY
‘I might get the girls mini veils but I’m worried people will think that’s a bit much!’