Helen Flanagan Details 'Absolutely Horrendous' Health Struggles During Pregnancies
Former Coronation Street star Helen Flanagan has candidly opened up about two severe health battles she faced surrounding her pregnancies, describing them as 'absolutely horrendous'. The 35-year-old actress appeared on ITV's Lorraine programme on February 9 to promote her new memoir, Head & Heart, where she shared deeply personal experiences with mental and physical health challenges.
Longstanding Struggle with OCD
During the interview, host Lorraine Kelly highlighted how Helen wrote about facing Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), which the presenter described as 'crippling'. Helen responded emphatically, confirming that the condition has been a lifelong struggle. '[OCD] is crippling, yeah. I've always actually struggled with OCD since I've been really young,' she revealed.
Helen recounted a particularly difficult period after the birth of her first daughter, Matilda, when her OCD symptoms intensified. 'I remember it was when I was really, really poorly after I had my first daughter Matilda, with OCD, that I was going to the Priory as an outpatient,' she explained. A turning point came when she read Bryony Gordon's book, which helped her identify and understand her condition. 'I just went, "This is what it is, I've got OCD." That really was such a huge comfort to me,' she said, adding that while she doesn't have all the answers, she has written extensively about OCD in her memoir.
Severe Pregnancy Sickness: Hyperemesis Gravidarum
In addition to OCD, Helen spoke about her experiences with Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG), a severe form of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. According to the NHS, HG involves being sick many times a day, inability to keep food or drink down, and often requires hospital treatment due to risks like dehydration and weight loss.
Helen described the condition as 'horrendous', crediting her mother for helping her through it. 'The only way I got through it was with my mum. She was so amazing,' she shared. Having endured HG during three pregnancies, she expressed empathy for other women facing similar struggles. 'Especially if any women are struggling with Hyperemesis, my heart really is with them because it's absolutely horrendous. You never think it's going to get better. It really is awful.'
Behind-the-Scenes Feuds on Coronation Street
Beyond health issues, Helen's memoir delves into various feuds from her career, including tense relationships on the set of Coronation Street. She described returning to the soap in 2017 after a break and noticing a changed atmosphere, with unkind cliques forming. In her book, she writes about an unnamed actress who was 'quite sarcastic and cold' towards her, suggesting jealousy over press attention. 'I'd end up sitting on my own a lot of the time in the canteen feeling quite left out. It was like a real-life Mean Girls when I think about it now,' she recounted.
Helen also claimed that TV presenter Yvette Fielding 'absolutely detested' her during their work on Celebrity Super-Spa in 2013, even calling her 'evil' at one point. Additionally, she shed light on a feud with former co-star Ryan Thomas, who played her on-screen boyfriend Jason Grimshaw. She detailed clashes due to his grumpiness and lack of line preparation, though she noted they have since become friends. 'Over the years since, however, we've moved in similar circles and become quite good friends,' she wrote.
Lorraine airs weekdays from 9.30am on ITV1 and ITVX, providing a platform for such personal revelations from public figures like Helen Flanagan.
