Why Helen Flanagan Ended Her Relationship with Robbie Talbot

Helen Flanagan, the 34-year-old former Coronation Street star, has ended her relationship with ex-non-league footballer Robbie Talbot, 45, after just over a year, citing differing life goals and her commitment to her career and three children.

Flanagan, known for her role as Rosie Webster, had initially dreamed of having children with Talbot but decided to prioritize her new acting job and her responsibilities as a mother to Matilda, nine, Delilah, six, and Charlie, three.

Flanagan and Talbot “want different things in life,” with Flanagan focusing on juggling her work projects and parenting duties.

Two weeks ago, Flanagan had a “grown-up chat” with Talbot, telling him, “This isn’t working,” and expressing her desire to be on her own for a while despite still having feelings for him.

Flanagan, who separated from footballer Scott Sinclair, the father of her children, in 2022, met Talbot, a divorced father of two, in a bar in Alderly Edge, Cheshire, before appearing on E4’s Celebs Go Dating.

Talbot recalled their first meeting, saying, “I thought she was stunning. It was all very old-fashioned. I made a joke about a coat my friend was wearing and from there we got chatting.”

Flanagan initially thought Talbot was gay due to his “really white teeth” and being “so well dressed and smart,” but they exchanged numbers and began messaging after realizing her mistake.

Talbot moved into Flanagan’s Bolton home in September 2024 but moved out last month, just months after they started living together, as their relationship was “going backwards.”

Flanagan revealed to Fabulous that she asked Talbot to move out because she felt safer with a man in the house but prioritized her daughter Matilda’s feelings, who is sensitive and a “proper daddy’s girl” missing her father, Scott Sinclair.

Balancing her responsibilities as a mother to Matilda, Delilah, and Charlie with a new relationship proved challenging, and Flanagan did not want to choose between her kids and her relationship.

Despite the breakup, Flanagan finds the change tough, as “It’s tough because she has the responsibility of the kids and balancing her relationship – she doesn’t want it to be one or the other.”

Talbot’s departure from Flanagan’s home feels like a setback, but she believes it is the best decision for her family, always putting her children first.

In January 2025, Flanagan received a six-month driving ban after her Audi, driven by Talbot, was caught speeding twice in just over two weeks.