Helen Flanagan has opened up about her struggles as a single mother, admitting she feels tired, overstimulated and "sick of the arguing".
The former Coronation Street actress, 36, shares three children with her ex-fiancé, the footballer Scott Sinclair, 37: Matilda, 11, Delilah, eight, and five-year-old Charlie. The couple split in 2022 after 13 years together.
In a candid Instagram post on Thursday, Flanagan branded herself "the wicked witch" as she detailed the hardships of raising her children alone.
While insisting she loves her children "so much", the actress shared a video of herself giving sweet kisses to her son Charlie and kept things real about how she has been coping.
"Tired Mum. Overstimulated. Sick of the arguing. No words for how much I love them," she wrote over the video. "Due my period. Feel like I've been the Wicked Witch of the West."
She added: "Mum guilt. Not been able to get back to any of work emails or wats apps or my friends."
Help from her parents
Flanagan has frequently been open with her fans about her life as a single parent and the "mum guilt" she suffers while trying to care for her three children.
Speaking on the Vanessa Feltz show, the actress credited her mother Julia with being a huge help with childcare and daily family life.
"I have three children and I really do bring them up with my mum and dad," Flanagan said. "They help me every day."
"This sounds bad but I am always working and I don't even have the class social app, like my mum has the app, she does all the homework."
She added: "My mum actually runs all my kids' schedules so my mum is amazing. 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'."
"She does all my washing, all the uniforms, my mum does all the cooking. She does everything for me and I would die without her."
Feltz quipped in response: "Julia is a saint!"
Birthday in Lake Como
Despite her struggles, Flanagan recently declared "I don't need a man" while celebrating her 36th birthday in Lake Como, Italy, over the weekend.
The actress jetted out with her daughter Delilah, sharing the trip on social media. Showing off her curves in a floral halterneck two-piece bikini, Flanagan grinned as they headed out on a boat trip and went for a swim on the lake.
Reflecting on a year of being single in a series of candid thoughts posted on Instagram last week, she wrote: "The only time I miss having a boyfriend is when I don't have my kids. I am more of a relationship girl."
"I turn 36 next week and I've done a whole year of being single. I don't think it's a bad thing to be this way I think it's only natural to want connection."
She added: "I don't want to settle though unless it's right so if it's not I'd rather be on my own."
In another post, Flanagan admitted she was "quite up and down" with her mood, explaining: "I am either super happy and fun or not great at all."
"I'm not someone who really likes being on their own in general and that's ok," she said. "If I'm not with my kids I like to be with my close friends or my family."
