Helen Flanagan has shared she "misses" Carol Vorderman after the pair bonded in the I'm A Celebrity... South Africa camp. Helen and Carol were amongst the first stars to take part in the popular ITV reality show spin-off, which was filmed in the Southern Hemisphere in September 2022, and aired earlier this year.
The soap star and the Countdown whiz bonded during their second go at I'm A Celeb, with Carol helping to guide Helen through her split from Bristol Rovers winger Scott Sinclair. Helen and her ex-fiancé Scott, with whom she shares three children, broke up last summer after 13 years together, calling off their fairytale wedding.
Flying out to South Africa just weeks after her split from Scott, Helen opted to wear her engagement ring during filming as she "didn't want to talk about it" and wanted to avoid any suspicion of a break up. During her time in camp, Helen said that Clifton resident Carol was a "mother figure" to her as she navigated a tricky new chapter of her life.
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But it looks as though Carol impacted Helen's life in more ways than one. Since her stint in the jungle finished in September and she returned back home, Helen has changed her diet, following a revelation from Carol in camp.
Speaking on her Instagram story on Wednesday afternoon (June 28), Helen shared that she was obsessed with a swap she had made in her diet. "When I was in the jungle with Carol Vorderman, she told me that she never ate bread and she just used to have Ryvita all the time," Helen revealed.
Letting fans in on what she was having for lunch, the former Coronation Street actress showed off a plate of crackers and a plate of mashed avocado and balsamic vinegar. "So, when I came back, like end of September, I'm addicted to eating this," she said.
"This is what I eat, like, all the the time at home, just avocado and Ryvita. I miss you so much, Carol."
I'm A Celebrity... South Africa viewers watched as Carol and Helen's friendship blossomed, with Carol sharing plenty of advice on being a single parent post-split to help Helen through a difficult time. A source told OK! magazine earlier this year: "Helen told Carol on the show that she and Scott had split up, but asked her to keep it a secret.
"It really brought the two of them close together. And Carol had lots of advice for her on being a single parent."
Since filming wrapped up, Carol and Helen have kept in regular contact. Helen has been "relying" on Carol for "advice", with the pair making plans to spend time together since returning to the UK.
"They’ve remained good friends since filming ended and see each other regularly," an insider said. "Helen sees Carol in a motherly role, and knows she can rely on her for some words of wisdom if she’s having a tough day."
Helen and Scott started dating in 2009, with the footballer popping the question during a trip to DisneyLand Paris in 2018. After their split last summer, Helen was forced to call off their Covid-postponed wedding, which was due to take place at her dream venue, Grantley Hall in North Yorkshire.
Speculation that the pair called it quits first began in October last year, following her appearance at the Pride of Britain awards, where her engagement ring was nowhere to be seen. Helen confirmed a few weeks later that the couple had called off their relationship.
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