Keeping the light on: Flanagan too afraid to sleep in dark

Helen Flanagan can't sleep in the dark on her own.

The former 'Coronation Street' actress - who quit the ITV soap in February 2012 after suffering from depression - has to ask her mother or sister to come over when her boyfriend, Manchester City footballer Scott Sinclair, goes away because she fears being alone in her house.

She exclusively told BANG Showbiz: "I don't sleep in the car, if my boyfriend is away for an away game or whatever, there's no way I would sleep in the dark. I get my sister or my friends or my mum to come around because I get really anxious. I'm quite jumpy about sleeping in the house on my own."

The 22-year-old stunner - who can't wait to watch The Cheltenham Festival with Ladbrokes next week - confronted her fears by appearing on 'I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!' last year, and despite receiving criticism for failing to complete a number of the programme's bug-infested Bushtucker Trials, she insists being on the show gave her a massive confidence boost.

She explained: "I love 'I'm A Celebrity', I feel extremely fortunate to have taken part in it. It was one of the most memorable experiences of my life so far, I adored it. It was great for me and for my confidence. I made friends for life, I really loved it.

"I really did try but I get anxiety with things like that."