Helen Flanagan has spoken out about her brief relationship with David Haye, following reports she and the former professional boxer were involved in a three-way relationship with his girlfriend.
In December last year, The Mirror reported that Helen and David had grown closer after meeting on I’m A Celebrity a decade earlier.
Because David had previously been rumoured to be in a “throuple”, reports at the time suggested this was also the case with Helen, which she spoke about during Monday’s edition of Celebs Go Dating.
“I’d known him for 10 years,” the former child star told the show’s resident relationship experts Anna Williamson and Dr Tara Suwinyattichaiporn. “We did a reality show together. I remember the first time, seeing him in the jungle, I was like ‘wow.’ It was quite something.”
Admitting it was “really hard for me to talk about”, an emotional Helen continued: “He had a girlfriend and [they were in] an open relationship. I didn’t mean to fall in love with him, but I did.
“We did have this amazing connection together – we were like fire. It was weird. I think he does love his girlfriend and he loves me as well. It just brings me to a part in my life that was quite dark.”
Denying she and David were ever in a “throuple”, Helen recalled: “I was in love with him. I wouldn’t have enjoyed watching the man I was in love with have sex with another woman, that’s not for me.
“I had communication with his girlfriend, but I felt very guilty. I didn’t feel nice about it all. It really upsets me because I don’t mean to hurt other people but I was just really lonely. I found it really difficult because it just happened. It’s not nice on another girl and I should’ve known better
The Coronation Street star was then assured by the team she hadn’t done anything wrong, as David’s girlfriend had consented to being in an open relationship.
David was first rumoured to be in a “throuple” last year, after posting photos of himself on holiday with his girlfriend and former The Saturdays singer Una Healy.
Una later clarified that while she was dating David at the same time he was seeing his current girlfriend, it was not a three-way relationship.
“I didn’t get to know her very well, it wasn’t a throuple,” she insisted.
“The T word, I had to google it myself because I’d never heard it, I was like ‘what is this, why am I being called this name that I have never heard of, I don’t know what it is?’.”
Celebs Go Dating continues on Tuesday night at 9pm on E4.