Helen Flanagan blasts Travelodge after being threatened with police for sleeping through check out time: 'Bit of respect'

Olivia Gantzer
Wed, 01 Apr 2026 21:09:03 +0000

Helen Flanagan has accused a Travelodge employee of threatening to contact police after she missed the hotel's checkout deadline during her current theatre tour.

The 35-year-old former Coronation Street actress, who is performing as Princess Jill in the Mother Goose Easter pantomime, described the encounter at the Northampton branch as "horrible" in posts shared with her 1.1 million Instagram followers.

The incident occurred on Tuesday after the production had travelled from Mansfield, where they performed on Monday evening, to Northampton for their next show.

Ms Flanagan filmed a video outside the hotel premises, tagging the budget chain and detailing how she had slept through the standard midday checkout time following a late night.

Speaking to her followers, the Bolton-born star explained that she had retired to bed at half past one in the morning and did not wake until noon, having struggled with sleep recently.

"I literally woke up to this woman at 12 o'clock banging on my door, telling me to open the door," she recounted.

When Ms Flanagan apologised and requested a brief shower before departing, she claims the request was flatly denied.

"I went, 'Oh hi, sorry'. She said 'checkout is at 12'. I said 'sorry I didn't know, I'll just have a quick shower and go'. She said 'no you can't have a shower, you need to get out now before I ring the police,'" the actress told her audience.

In a subsequent video, Ms Flanagan revealed she had become tearful during the ordeal, attributing her emotional state to hormonal changes and being separated from her three children whilst on tour.

"The reason why I'm crying is because I'm due on my period and I don't like being away from my kids," she explained.

Her friend Matt Wright subsequently arrived to assist her during the difficult situation.

"All I need is a bit of respect, not to be woken up in the morning when I'm trying to have a lie-in and told to get out and I can't have a shower," the actress added.

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The morning's troubles were compounded when Ms Flanagan discovered the theatre venue lacked shower facilities, leaving her unable to freshen up before her performance.

The hotel chain has since issued an apology in response to the actress's public criticism.

"We are sorry to hear that Helen was disappointed with her stay," a Travelodge spokesperson told The Sun.

"We have reached out to her directly and are speaking with the hotel team to understand what happened on this occasion," they added.

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A post shared by Helen Flanagan (@hjgflanagan)

The Mother Goose production, which commenced in Northwich on March 21, continues until April 19, with its final performance in Halifax.

Actor Darren Day also features in the show as the wicked Demon Vanity.

Beyond her pantomime commitments, Ms Flanagan is currently appearing on Celebrity Ex on the Beach, which launched on Paramount+ on Tuesday.

The reality dating programme, filmed in Tenerife, sees contestants confronted by former partners.