Who is Helen Flanagan's 'secret' boyfriend 'Halloween Hitman' ex-footballer Robbie Talbot

Posted Thursday, September 05, 2024 by Dailystar.co.uk

Former Coronation Street star Helen Flanagan has found love with a new ex-footballer Robbie Talbot and was forced to confess she was dating the 'Halloween Hitman' on Celebs Go Dating

Who is Helen Flanagan's 'secret' boyfriend 'Halloween Hitman' ex-footballer Robbie Talbot
Helen Flanagan made a shocking admission on Celebs Go Dating (Image: E4)

TV star Helen Flanagan has revealed a secret ex-footballer boyfriend during her appearance on the reality TV show Celebs Go Dating.

The former Coronation Street actress is no stranger to dating sports stars, having had a 13-year relationship with former Manchester City striker Scott Sinclair. The pair have three kids together and got engaged in 2018 before ending things in 2022. Since then Helen has been on the lookout for a new soulmate.

In a dramatic series of the hit E4 dating show the 34-year-old has given viewers an insight into her past relationships, including a fling as part of a throuple with former heavyweight boxer David Haye. Helen also broke down in tears and confessed that despite agreeing to take part in the show she was already "in love" with someone.

This drew the ire of the show's matchmaker Paul C Brunson, who raged: "Just to be clear, you have a boyfriend who you're in love with. You have been dating him. Are those three correct?" And when Helen nodded, he replied: "That means you lied to us. Helen has not only wasted our time, but all of the date's time. We need to hear the full truth of why she has kept this from us."

It has now emerged her latest partner is a little known footballer - Robbie Talbot. The 44-year-old, who is a decade older than Helen, has since been written into the show, meaning fans will get a front row seat as their relationship plays out in front of the cameras.

Talbot was born in Liverpool on October 31, 1979 and during his playing days was regarded as one of the top strikers in non-league football, with his form in front of goal coupled with his birthdate earning him the nickname of the 'Halloween Hitman'.

After starting his career in the Rochdale youth team, he joined Merseyside-based Marine in 1998, before signing for Burscough. His goalscoring exploits in West Lancashire earning him a £9,000 transfer to Morecambe, where his nickname reflected the 29 goals he bagged in 55 league games for the Shrimps.

In 2003, former Liverpool and Nottingham Forest star Nigel Clough signed Talbot for Burton Albion for a fee of £7,000, where he went on to score 28 times in 52 appearances, including a double hat-trick during an 8-0 demolition of Alvechurch in the Birmingham Senior Cup.

Who is Helen Flanagan's 'secret' boyfriend 'Halloween Hitman' ex-footballer Robbie Talbot
Helen Flanagan is still a hot topic in the world of football and on social media (Image: @hjgflanagan/Instagram)

Who is Helen Flanagan's 'secret' boyfriend 'Halloween Hitman' ex-footballer Robbie Talbot
Helen Flanagan poses for a photo at an event (Image: Dave Benett/Getty Images for Mis)

However, his time in Staffordshire was marred by a serious car accident in the summer of 2004, which almost took his life. Talbot eventually recovered from the injuries, but struggled to regain his previous form.

Talbot decided to join Droylsden in 2005 and then Bangor City in 2008, before his final transfer as a player to Ashton United. Having retired, he became an assistant manager at the club, before retiring from football altogether.

It's not known what he does now, but he has grabbed the headlines due to the fame of his latest girlfriend. It was also revealed that Helen couldn't keep their partnership a secret after failing to connect with anyone on the show due to her feelings for Talbot.