Helen Flanagan taking acting lessons ‘to combat nerves’ as she prepares for Coronation Street return
Bury-born actress has turned to drama school to help prepare herself and combat nerves ahead of her return to the Street next month
HELEN FLANAGAN began her acting career at age ten as ditzy Rosie Webster on Coronation Street.
And despite her 16 years of acting experience, I can reveal the telly star has been taking acting lessons ahead of her Corrie comeback.
Helen has spent the past five years starting a family with boyfriend SCOTT SINCLAIR and featured in a couple of reality TV shows — including I’m A Celeb and Celebrity Juice.
But the Bury-born actress, above filming her first new scenes as Rosie this week, has turned to drama school to prepare herself and combat her nerves ahead of her return to the Street next month.
A source revealed: “Helen was hesitant about returning to Corrie after a five-year break.
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“But she wanted to give it her best shot so she’s had acting lessons as a way of building her confidence and preparing herself. One of the reasons she quit in 2012 was because she was suffering from panic attacks.
“She took up acting lessons then, to keep her acting up during her break, and has recently stepped them up ahead of the Corrie return. It has helped to settle her nerves.”
Helen has picked up £30,000 for an initial three-month stint in Weatherfield alongside her on-screen sister Sophie, played by BROOKE VINCENT.
The Sun revealed that Rosie will be exposed as a coke smuggler when she gets caught up in a drug raid. Cops will quiz Rosie as she returns from the US. Dad Kevin, played by MICHAEL LE VELL, and her sister also get dragged into the scandal.
Corrie bosses were desperate for Helen to return to inject glamour back into the soap after GEORGIA MAY FOOTE and MICHELLE KEEGAN quit.
Maybe Helen could ask them for tips.
Tom: I'm singing for my wife
SIR TOM JONES will return to The Voice tomorrow after a year away from the show.
But he confessed the last 12 months have been a struggle after Linda, his wife of 59 years, died last April – leaving him unsure whether he wanted to carry on living.
In an exclusive, emotional interview, he said: “It hit me for six. I’ve never felt pain like that in my life.
“I didn’t know whether I wanted to go on.
“I thought, ‘What’s the future got?’ because she’d always been there, ever since we were kids.
“But the music is saving me. It’s giving me a purpose. It always did but I think even more now.”
As well as being brought back as a coach on The Voice as it launches on ITV, alongside GAVIN ROSSDALE, WILL.I.AM and JENNIFER HUDSON, Sir Tom is hoping to start work on new music encouraged by his difficult year.
He explained: “I’m looking for material all the time. I didn’t know whether I could sing after Linda died and it took me a while to get into it.
“But once I got there I thought, if I’m going to live, I’ve got to sing. And thank God that the voice is still strong, and she wanted me to carry on.”
It’s great to have him back.
SOAPBOX
EMMERDALE sees a shock attack on village resident Dan Spencer during tonight’s episode.
Cain Dingle loses it at the garage and furiously decks Dan after he approaches him over banning Kerry from seeing Kyle.
But trouble ensues after Kyle witnesses the brutal punch.
Meanwhile, after six months away from the village, Diane Hutchinson returns to HOLLYOAKS tonight – and brings her niece Lily Drinkwell with her.
Tony is left feeling miffed when he discovers Lily has come to stay with them and tactlessly voices his disapproval in her earshot.
I wonder how long they will stick around.
Eva red hot in Mexico
EVA LONGORIA relaxes on a yacht in Mexico yesterday – a world away from her recent filming in South Wales.
She just finished shooting a TV version of Evelyn Waugh’s satirical novel Decline and Fall – with JACK WHITEHALL in the Welsh Valleys – which airs on BBC2 later this year.
Eva says the cast and crew taught her Welsh words. Bet she didn’t learn Llanfairpwllgwyngyll-gogerychwyrndrobwllllan.
We've Sian it all now
MOST of us would love to go to work in a bathrobe and slippers.
But Channel 5 newsreader SIAN WILLIAMS, who has been testing high street health fads for ITV series Save Money: Good Health, found the experience very odd.
She said: “It was very unusual. I usually read the news – and I was in a dressing gown and PJs.
“They were filming me sleeping. They were taking urine samples and blood tests. It was quite invasive.”
I knew there would be a downside.
Brad in dreamland
BRADLEY WALSH is having a fantastic week after his album Chasing Dreams became the highest-selling Brit debut of 2016.
And now The Chase, which he hosts, has scored bumper viewing figures, with 4.4 million tuning in to see super-contestant Terry help his team win a share of £61,000.
Chaser ANNE HEGERTY tweeted: “Terry could be playing at international level in a couple of years. Outstanding quizzer.”
Bradley should buy himself a lottery ticket.