Helen Flanagan was bullied over her Coronation Street fame
Helen Flanagan has revealed she was bullied in school because of her Coronation Street fame.
Helen Flanagan was bullied in school over her Coronation Street fame.
The actress was just nine years old when she replaced Emma Collinge as Rosie Webster in 2000, but her TV career led her to be tormented by her jealous peers.
Helen only escaped the torment when her parents, Julia Flanagan and Paul Flanagan, moved her to a private girls' school.
Helen - who played her alter ego on the ITV1 soap on-and-off for 18 years - is quoted by the Daily Star newspaper's Hot TV column as saying: "I did struggle with a lot of bullying in my first school because I was on Coronation Street.
"I did really get picked on. My parents then moved me to a private girls' school."
The 34-year-old TV star - who has daughters Matilda, nine, and Delilah, six, as well as a son Charlie, three, with her ex-partner Scott Sinclair - admitted the bullying she endured makes her worry as a mum.
She said: "Because I got picked on an awful lot, as a mum, I worry.
"My little girl, she is a sweetie and soft like me."
Helen previously said she would jump at the chance to return to Weatherfield - the fictional town in Salford, Greater Manchester, where Coronation Street is based - and would like Rosie to become one of the Rovers Return pub's "iconic" barmaids.
In an interview with The Sun on Sunday newspaper's Bizarre column in March, the actress said: "I’d love to see Rosie come back as a single mum, having just left her partner.
“She’d dump her two kids with Sally and I think she would be an iconic barmaid at the Rovers Return.
“Especially as I am living up north again now.”
And the actress admitted putting an effort into her appearance helps her feel like her own person, rather than just her children's mum.
She added: “I’m definitely very much like a northern girl at heart and we really dress up.
“I’m very much about doing my tan, my nails, my hair, doing my make-up.
“Suddenly then I’m not a mum, I’m Helen.
“I love a gorgeous dress, I’m definitely a girly girl.
“It’s all part of feeling good about yourself."
