Coronation Street's Helen Flanagan addresses possibility of return to soap as she says 'it needs me'

Helen Flanagan has dropped hints about a possible comeback to the cobbles of Coronation Street, suggesting that the longrunning soap "needs" her and her character.

The actress, who is renowned for her role as Rosie Webster, discussed the possibility of returning to the show six years after she left. Best known for her portrayal of Rosie Webster, the 34-year-old first graced the screens in 2000 and continued until 2012, with a brief return from 2017 to 2018.

Since then, Rosie Webster has been absent from the show. Amidst recent rumours about her potential return, earlier this year, former Blackburn student Helen expressed her eagerness to rejoin the cast and hinted at how Rosie's return could unfold, including the idea of her working at the Rovers Return and leaving her children with Sally Metcalfe, played by Sally Dynevor.

Speaking to the Mirror, she said at the time: "I would love to go back to Coronation Street." Proposing the circumstances of Rosie's return, she added: "A single mum with a real storyline, with two kids that she dumps with Sally to have her Rovers return play out an iconic barmaid role."

However, last month it was suggested that the timing wasn't quite right for Rosie's return to Weatherfield. Now, in a fresh interview with the Sun released over the weekend, mum-of-three Helen, who lives in Lancashire, has tantalised fans with the prospect of reviving her role.

"I can't say too much, but it could be possible that I could go back." The former cast member added that she gets on with "everyone" on the show, which "changed" her life.

She then said that her "loyalty" is with Corrie. The actress and model went on to discuss Rosie, with Helen telling the outlet that she feels like the character is "part" of her.

Sharing her thoughts, she teased that Corrie "needs" her, before adding that the soap opera "needs" Rosie too. Alongside a potential return, Helen also expressed interest in taking part in Celebrity Big Brother in the future.

She's no stranger to appearing on reality TV, including having taken part in dating show Celebs Go Dating last year. She was also among the campmates on I'm a Celebrity back in 2012, appearing alongside the likes of EastEnders star Charlie Brooks, who won that series.

Helen later took part in the 'All Stars' spin-off, which was broadcast in 2023. However she shared her concern about the prospect of reality TV work affecting her acting career.

She said: "If you want to focus on your acting, I do think sometimes it can be hard going down the reality TV route to be taken seriously."

Since Helen last appeared on Corrie, relatives of Rosie have arrived in Weatherfield, with the character now having more family there than before. They include her aunt Debbie Webster (Sue Devaney), who returned in 2019 after 30-year absence.

More recently, another relative of Rosie's father Kevin Webster (Michael Le Vell) turned up on the street. Carl Webster (Jonathan Howard), who is the younger brother of Kevin and Debbie, was introduced to viewers last month.

Subscribe to our daily newsletter LANCS LIVE NEWS and get all the biggest stories from across Lancashire direct to your inbox