Helen Flanagan sparks Coronation Street return rumours as she shares throwback snap amid soap’s cash crisis

HELEN Flanagan has sparked Coronation Street return rumours as she shared a throwback snap, amid the soap’s cash crisis.

The actress previously played the role of Rosie Webster on the ITV soap for over 20 years.

Helen joined the soap in 2000 and stayed on Corrie for 12 years, before making a cobbles comeback in 2017.

The actress then went on maternity leave in June of 2018 but has not been seen on the street since.

But in a sweet throwback, Helen posted a photo of herself from when she very first joined Corrie.

Mum-of-three Helen wrote: “Ah love this pic I found @coronationstreet with the iconic Barbara Knox I was Matildas age.”

Helen can be seen walking along the street in a red coat and purple skirt, with a flowery headband.

She holds hands with Barbara, who played the role of Rita on the soap.

Fans were absolutely delighted by Helen’s throwback photo, and Corrie star Samia Longchambon wrote in the comments: “Love this Helen. I remember you being that age! Xx”

Back in November, Helen told The Sun that she would love to return once again to Coronation Street.

In an interview hosted by WhichBingo, she told us: “I would absolutely love to go back to Coronation Street.

“I live now where I did growing up and I’ve moved around so much, you know, with my ex, football and stuff, so I’m back.

“But to be able to do Coronation Street, they would have to ask me back.

“Also if I went back and stuff, I’d want to be in a good storyline and what have you.”

Helen’s post comes as Coronation Street faces a crisis that could see the end to the cobbles as we know and love it – and it’s not one of its own making.

The perfect storm of massively increased television production costs has hit a TV advertising market in free-fall – and it’s very, very bad news for Coronation Street.

As Corrie’s Sally Ann Matthews said bluntly – “ITV’s got no money“.

Big stunts like the dramatic tram crash that destroyed half the cobbles, or the huge devastating sinkhole are increasingly a thing of the past. Filming on location is all-but ruled out over cost concerns.

Budget restraints mean that there are fewer appearances of beloved characters and an over-reliance of younger, newer, cheaper stars.

Despite that Coronation Street still pulls in a respectable 5m each night – more than Emmerdale and almost twice as much as BBC rival EastEnders.

It is still the most-watched show on TV – week in, week out. But it’s a far cry from the 20m who used to watch.