Helen Flanagan has spoken out about her experiences as a teenage actress on Coronation Street, questioning whether it was appropriate for her to be filmed in revealing scenes at a young age.
The 35-year-old, who joined the ITV soap aged nine as Rosie Webster, was just 16 when her character became involved in a storyline depicting an underage affair with teacher John Stape, played by Graeme Hawley.
"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?" Ms Flanagan asked while talking to The Mirror.
She recalled filming kissing and bedroom scenes with Mr Hawley, who was considerably older than her, describing how certain scenes left her feeling uncomfortable afterwards.
Helen Flanagan starred as Rosie Webster in Coronation Street from 2000 to 2012, and again in 2017 to 2018
|ITV
Ms Flanagan revealed that her co-star Alison King, who portrays Carla Connor, confronted soap executives about the treatment of the young actress.
"Alison King once kicked off in the green room, saying how disgusting it was that they were sexualising me when I was a young girl," Ms Flanagan said.
At the time, the actress admits she did not fully grasp what Ms King was objecting to, but her perspective has since shifted.
"I didn't fully comprehend what she was talking about at the time. I do now. I get it," she explained.
Helen Flanagan reflected on being 'sexualised' on ITV Coronation Street as a teen
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Ms Flanagan believes the television industry has evolved significantly since her teenage years on the cobbles, particularly following the Me Too movement.
"Everything has changed now, which I'm glad about. They wouldn't write it in quite the same way all these years later," she reflected.
The actress is currently appearing in The Memory of Water at Bolton's Octagon Theatre, where she benefits from working with an intimacy coordinator to ensure her comfort during sensitive scenes.
This stands in stark contrast to her soap days, when such safeguards did not exist.
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Helen Flanagan reflected on her time on Coronation Street as a teenager
|ITV
"Back then you just got on with it," she said of her Coronation Street experience.
Despite her difficult past experiences, Ms Flanagan maintains that she enjoys expressing her sexuality when she retains control over the situation.
"I post sexy pictures. I work for different lingerie brands. I enjoy that. I like to feel sexy. I like to feel empowered - and in control. That's the difference," she stated.
However, she acknowledged that some professional shoots have left her distressed when they proved more revealing than anticipated.
Helen Flanagan last appeared on ITV Coronation Street in 2018
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Beyond her reflections on the soap, Ms Flanagan is embroiled in a bitter dispute with former fiancé Scott Sinclair over their family home near Bolton.
The footballer, 36, has decided to sell the property where Flanagan resides with their three children: Matilda, 10, Delilah, seven, and Charlie, four.
"His decision to sell the family has broken my heart," Flanagan told The Mirror, expressing frustration at his spending on holidays and trips to Dubai whilst citing financial reasons for the sale.
The actress, who recently branded Sinclair a "d**khead," revealed the pair no longer communicate directly, instead relying on her father as an intermediary.
"I worry about my future and my security. I have to work constantly to make ends meet," she said, noting that despite their difficult relationship, she will always retain some affection for him.