The fourth series of Celebrity Ex on the Beach is set to air on Tuesday (March 31) and will see mum-of-three Helen, 35, attempt to find love. It comes after she appeared on Celebs Go Dating in 2024 where she broke the rules by dating Robbie Talbot outside of the agency, but after splitting with him she is now looking for a new man.

Following her split with Scott Sinclair in July 2022 after a 13-year relationship, the actress’ love life may have experienced its highs and lows but she remains committed to finding love.

Helen told the Mirror that taking part in a notoriously dramatic dating programme was a straightforward choice. “I have always loved it,” she explains. “When I was asked, it was November and freezing in the UK, and I just thought, ‘How fun?’ I was single, so why not?”.

And fun is precisely what she experienced. While viewers can anticipate all the typical explosive twists, surprise arrivals and emotional confrontations, for Helen, the opportunity meant far more than the drama.

“I had the best time,” she says. “What I loved most was the girl time. There was such a gorgeous group of girls, and I don’t often get that kind of social time in my everyday life. I’m usually juggling work and the kids, so it felt really special to just be present and enjoy it.”

Naturally, this is Ex On The Beach and Helen suggests that there is plenty of “drama” and things become seriously “juicy”. “There were a lot of surprises,” she teases. “It’s quite surreal when you’re filming because you forget the cameras are there. It just feels like real life, and then you realise how intense everything is.”

Helen made a memorable appearance on Celebs Go Dating in 2024, but stirred controversy by disclosing her relationship with footballer Robbie Talbot – an episode Helen describes as “iconic”.

Her participation in Celebrity Ex on the Beach has caused chatter on social media, particularly given she is a single mother to Matilda, 10, Delilah, seven, and Charlie, five. However, Helen remains unbothered.

“I find it empowering,” she declares. “There have been comments on social media suggesting I shouldn’t be doing a show like that as a mum of three, but no one would say that about a dad. Women should be allowed to have fun and enjoy themselves too.”

While she’s keeping hush about any potential romantic developments, Helen says that genuine connections were made during filming. “There were definitely strong bonds,” she reveals, grinning. “But people will have to watch to see what happens.”

When it comes to her ideal partner, Helen has a clear vision. “He’d need to be fit, kind and funny,” she asserts. “And someone who matches my personality, I always describe myself as a bit of a ‘sexy geek’, so I’d want that same energy in a partner.”

Away from the world of reality TV, Helen spent her formative years in the limelight, as she was only nine when she joined Coronation Street as Rosie Webster. This experience has fostered a resilience to handle both fame and criticism.

“I don’t really know any different. Being in the spotlight is all I have ever known,” she admits. ” I think you naturally grow a thicker skin, and things are kinder now than they used to be, especially with social media.”

Despite venturing into new avenues, her bond with Corrie remains strong. “I’d absolutely love to return,” Helen confesses. “It feels like home. I would love Rosie to come back as an iconic barmaid and have a Corrie wedding as it’s the only wedding I’d be getting at the moment, but they haven’t been in touch yet, it would be so perfect as I only live around the corner.”

Helen considers her former Corrie colleagues, Brooke Vincent (Sophie Webster), Sally Dynevor (Sally Metcalfe) and Michael Le Vell (Kevin Webster), as family. Sally and Brooke recently attended her performance in Shelagh Stephenson’s play The Memory Of Water.

For the time being, her career continues to lead her down thrilling and occasionally surprising paths. Behind the scenes, it’s her family who ensure everything operates smoothly, with her mum Julia playing a pivotal role.

“Without her, everything would fall apart,” Helen admits. “We’ve always done everything together, and she’s such a huge support; I couldn’t do the work I do without her.” And, while she is due to relocate to a new property soon, she ensured one thing: that it was round the corner from her mum.

Motherhood continues to be central to everything she does, but Helen is also reconnecting with herself. Having become a mother at a young age, she now feels as though she’s embarking on a fresh chapter of life.

And as her children become more self-sufficient, she’s beginning to discover a bit more freedom. “It’s still busy with three kids, but they are all at school now and I feel like I’m starting to get some of me back,” she says.

Regarding romance, Helen remains optimistic, but isn’t rushing. “There’s no pressure. It’ll happen when it’s meant to,” she says.