HELEN Flanagan has accused Coronation Street of “expecting her to parade in knickers” when she was just 16 years old.
The actress, now 35, shot to fame as a child star on the ITV soap playing tearaway Rosie Webster.
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Helen Flanagan’s character was groomed by teacher John Stape in CorrieCredit: ITV
The actress said she felt ‘minging’ after the questionable days on setCredit: Getty
Rosie wore some eyebrow-raising outfits on the cobblesCredit: ITV
Perhaps her biggest storyline came when schoolgirl Rosie was groomed by teacher John Stape, after he met the teen while teaching her mum Sally English literature.
The villain went on to serve two years in prison for kidnapping Rosie for five weeks, locking her up in his grandmother’s house. He later became a murderer.
The controversial plot included bedroom scenes with actor Graeme Hawley, who is 17 years Helen‘s senior.
Speaking in her new book, Helen said: “Was it morally right that I was expected to parade about in my knickers like some mad nymphomaniac when I was still just a teenager?”
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She claims that Alison King, who plays Carla Connor, lost her temper behind the scenes over the way the soap was “sexualising” Helen.
The actress continued: “I didn’t fully comprehend what she was talking about at the time. I do now. I get it.”
Addressing her intimate scenes with co-star Graeme, she said: “I had to do kissing and bedroom scenes with a man a lot older than me.
“Obviously the actor [Graeme Hawley] was lovely, but I don’t think it would happen now.
“When you’re 16 you don’t really know what’s going on and I was just happy to get the big storylines.
“But I had scenes as Rosie which didn’t always sit comfortably with me. I felt minging post-shoot.”
The Sun has contacted Coronation Street for comment.
The bombshell claims come just days after Helen revealed a secret feud with co-star Antony Cotton in her new book Head And Heart: Break-ups, Breakdowns and Being Rosie.
Helen claims Antony made a jibe about her mental health that left her in tears.
“‘Here comes Helen Flanagan,’ he said. ‘You hear her rattling before you see her.’ To him it was a joke for a few cheap laughs, but this was my life.”
She continued in the excerpt published in the Daily Mail, which is serialising her memoir: “I didn’t respond, I was too broken. Instead, I went to the toilets and bawled my eyes out.”
The I’m A Celebrity star has previously explained that she always suffered from “intense symptoms for roughly 10 days including severe depression, sadness, hopelessness, worthlessness, anxiety, and OCD.”
She also spoke about having PMDD – premenstrual dysphoric disorder – which is an extreme form of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) that can have a dramatic effect on someone’s physical and mental health.
Though she maintains she’d love a Corrie return, Helen says bosses haven’t reached out since her last stint in 2018.
The mum-of-three now works as an influencer and model, and has starred in reality shows like Celebs Go Dating.
Helen’s book Head & Heart: Break-ups, Breakdowns and Being Rosie is out now
Alison King was allegedly furious by how Helen was being portrayedCredit: ITV
