Coronation Street star Helen Flanagan has faced backlash after joking about taking just one of her three children on holiday following a passport mishap. The actress, 36, had planned a trip to Lake Como with her eldest daughter Matilda, 11, but discovered shortly before departure that Matilda's passport needed renewing.
Passport drama
Helen had previously revealed she desperately tried to secure an emergency passport for Matilda but was unable to get one in time, leaving her daughter in tears. However, the holiday went ahead with her eight-year-old daughter Delilah instead.
Sharing a playful video on social media of herself and Delilah having a drink at the airport, Helen wrote: "When your brother and sister's passport is out of date but yours isn't." The mum-of-three, who also shares five-year-old Charlie with ex-fiancé Scott Sinclair, laughed with her daughter in the clip while wearing a black crop top with her hair in curlers.
Social media criticism
The light-hearted post didn't go down well with everyone. One follower wrote: "Imagine being so selfish that you abandon two-thirds of your kids to go on holiday, and then make a jokey post about it....." Another asked: "Why didn’t you put the holiday on hold until ya got the other two passports sorted out?" A third commented: "Sorry I hope you have a lovely trip but I don't think I could take my other daughter if the other had missed out through no fault of their own."
The criticism came after Helen shared her heartbreak over failing to get Matilda's passport sorted in time. She explained: "So I went down to Scotland, I fly to Lake Como on Thursday, to try to get Matilda an emergency passport and we've not been able to get one." Turning to her upset daughter, she added: "I just thought I'd try it because it says a week, but you never know. Mummy tried her best, didn't she? Mummy has tried. Love you."
Previous trip and passport options
The pair had enjoyed a mother-and-daughter holiday to Lake Como last year, with Helen previously speaking about the importance of spending quality time alone with her eldest. While adults can potentially obtain replacement passports through the Passport Office's one-day premium service, this option isn't available for children under 16. The quickest option for a child's new or replacement passport is the one-week Fast Track service, which requires an appointment and is subject to availability.
Helen shares all three children with former footballer Scott, whom she split from in 2022 after 13 years together. The soap star recently spoke about her hopes for her own romantic future, saying on Lewis Nicholls' Life Stories podcast: "My next relationship I have I think will be my husband, because I won’t be wasting my time, really." She also vowed to keep any future romance more private, explaining that she would want to "protect" the relationship from outside scrutiny.
