Actress Helen Flanagan has made startling allegations against staff at a Travelodge hotel, claiming they threatened to involve the police after she slept through the designated check-out time. The former Coronation Street star, currently touring in the Easter pantomime production of Mother Goose, described the incident as deeply distressing.
The Oversleep Incident in Northampton
Earlier this week, the theatre tour company stopped in Mansfield before moving to Northampton, where cast members stayed at a Travelodge hotel ahead of their next performance. While standard check-out times at Travelodge properties nationwide are typically midday, with check-in beginning at 3pm, guests can sometimes arrange late check-out until 2pm upon request.
However, Flanagan, 35, took to Instagram on Tuesday to explain that her planned lie-in was abruptly interrupted. In a video recorded outside the hotel, she detailed the confrontation. "To cut a long story short, on this theatre tour we are staying in these Travelodges. Fine. I got woke up this morning, I'm due on my period and I've not been sleeping properly so I basically went to bed at half one and woke up at 12," she said.
A Confrontation at the Door
Flanagan continued: "I literally woke up to this woman at 12 o'clock banging on my door, telling me to open the door. I went 'Oh hi sorry,' she said 'check-out is at 12,' I said 'Sorry I didn't know, I'll just have a quick shower and go.' She said 'no you can't have a shower, you need to get out now before I ring the police.'"
The actress revealed that her friend, Matt Wright, "saved" her during the ordeal. She became emotional while explaining the situation, stating: "The reason why I'm crying is because I'm due on my period and I don't like being away from my kids. All I need is a bit of respect, not to be woken up in the morning when I'm trying to have a lie-in and told to get out and I can't have a shower."
Travelodge Responds to the Allegations
In an official statement, Travelodge addressed the situation: "We are sorry to hear that Helen was disappointed with her stay. We have reached out to her directly and are speaking with the hotel team to understand what happened on this occasion." The hotel chain did not confirm or deny the specific allegations about police threats.
A Difficult Day Gets Worse
For Flanagan, the day only deteriorated further when she discovered that the theatre where she was scheduled to perform lacked shower facilities. This compounded her frustration after being denied the opportunity to shower at the hotel before departure.
Career Developments Amid the Controversy
The disruption comes as Flanagan prepares to return to television screens with an appearance on Celebrity Ex On The Beach. She expressed enthusiasm about the show, saying: "I have always loved it. When I was asked, it was November and freezing in the UK, and I just thought, 'How fun? I was single, so why not?"
Flanagan described the experience as particularly rewarding for the social connections it fostered. "I had the best time. What I loved most was the girl time. There was such a gorgeous group of girls, and I don't often get that kind of social time in my everyday life. I'm usually juggling work and the kids, so it felt really special to just be present and enjoy it," added the mother of three.
Despite the positive aspects, she acknowledged the show's dramatic nature, hinting at "a lot of surprises" and describing the filming environment as "quite surreal when you're filming because you forget the cameras are there. It just feels like real life, and then you realise how intense everything is."
