She split from footballer Scott Sinclair last October, after 13 years and sharing three kids together. But Helen Flanagan proved she was feeling more confident than ever last week as she revealed to fans that she’d had a secret boob job.
Helen – who has daughters Matilda, seven, Delilah, four, and one-year-old son Charlie with her ex-fiancé – also posted a heartfelt video where she told her 1 million Instagram followers that she’d had a secret op to make her boobs more “pert” after they were left “really saggy” following years of breastfeeding.
She said, “I’ve been really nervous about sharing this, because you always get some not very nice comments. But it’s just something that I did for myself, I really wanted to do it for my confidence. My boobs just changed so much from pregnancy and breastfeeding… I had to go for a bigger implant than I first had in mind to fill out and lift them to make them pert.”
The following day, the former Coronation Street star, 32, posted a photo of herself, beaming from ear to ear and proudly showing off her new cleavage. And pals say that the operation is the boost Helen needed to get back on the dating scene.
A source reveals, “Ever since becoming a mum, Helen has struggled with body confidence as she watched her shape change over the years. Getting surgery is something she’s thought about for a long time. After putting her three kids first for so long she never got round to it. But now that she’s single again and facing a new chapter of her life, she felt it was the right time.
“The idea of going out and dating again is really overwhelming, but she says she’s hoping the boob job will give her confidence to get back out there and find love. The future still looks a bit daunting, being single again, but she’s feeling happy and her new boobs are definitely putting a spring in her step.”
Helen and Scott met in 2009 when she was just 19, and the couple got engaged nine years later, just before they welcomed second daughter Delilah.
Rumours that their relationship had broken down began swirling when they reportedly spent a considerable time apart last summer, as well as the fact Helen had stopped wearing her engagement ring.
And the insider says that, after years of considering surgery, finding herself single again prompted Helen to take the plunge.
The source adds, “The years of breastfeeding her children had left Helen feeling unhappy when she looked in the mirror. Obviously, it’s fine when you have a supportive partner behind you, but being alone and single again is totally different. Everyone told her she already looked great, but her appearance was getting her down. She felt like she really needed this and so far, so good. It’s all about her general wellbeing, feeling sexy again for herself, as well as a new man.”
Helen first hit our screens on Corrie in 2000 aged just 10, before leaving the soap 12 years later. She’s also made a name for herself in reality TV, having starred in I’m A Celebrity..! in 2012 as well as on various celeb talk and game shows.
And the source adds that Helen is also hoping her newfound confidence will help her land some exciting TV projects this year, but that friends and family have urged her not to get carried away with surgery.
The source adds, “This year, as well as hopefully finding love, she wants to concentrate on reviving her acting career and is hoping that the surgery will help in that department too. She’d got to a point where she almost felt frumpy, which is hard to believe as she’s always so glam – but her appearance was really getting her down.
“Her friends and family have all been supportive but they’re just hoping that she doesn’t turn to any extreme surgery after this as often people will have one thing done, and the next thing you know they’re having constant nips and tucks.
“Helen’s assured her pals that she isn’t going to go down that road and just wanted a simple procedure to give her a boost to get herself back out there.”
