Helen Skelton has spoken of the “shock” of her eight-year marriage breaking down last year, which came just four months after the birth of their third child together, Elsie, now one.
The pair tied the knot back in 2013 at Kirkby at Thore’s St Michael’s Church in her childhood village Cumbria, and they later welcomed sons Ernie, eight and Louis, six.
In April 2022, Helen, 40, made an announcement on her Instagram which read: “Very sad to say that Richie and I are no longer a couple.
“He has left the family home. We will be doing our best to co-parent our small children.”
The presenter has since avoided going into details about her split, but has now revealed she “didn’t see it coming”.
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In an abstract from her new autobiography In My Stride, obtained by The Sun, she said: “I was in shock.
“I know that following break-ups, people often say they didn’t see it coming and it sounds like a cliche, but that was me.”
On reflection, Helen added she may have missed or “ignored” signs that it wasn’t working, having been “consumed” by their children, work, and a house project.
The ex Blue Peter star also revealed that she struggled to tell her parents about their split and kept it a secret until they realised she was spending a lot of time on her own.
She said of her dad Richard: “He immediately stepped in, knowing I needed him, even though I didn’t want to admit it.”
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Strictly: Gorka tells Helen he’s ‘so proud’ after Showdance
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Helen currently remains single, adding she wants to “enjoy this time of focusing on my kids and my career” and doesn’t have the energy for a new relationship.
Richie has since moved on with a new partner and they welcomed their first child together in March.
To help with her heartache, Helen signed up for Strictly Come Dancing last year and made it to the final with professional dance partner Gorka Marquez.
During the show, she and her children were living with her parents, so she could get stuck into gruelling rehearsals with childcare help. She has since moved into a separate property nearby.
The mother-of-three said her time in the dance competition was a much needed distraction from her split and has also credited the show for building her confidence again.
Speaking on BBC Breakfast, she said: “I went into it at a time when I needed something to be really noisy and all-consuming and that’s what Strictly was.
“What a wonderful opportunity to be dropped into something so all-consumingly brilliantly, distracting and fun.
“It was the best time with the best people.”
Helen impressed the judges and viewers with her moves throughout her time on the show, but sadly missed out on the Glitterball trophy to Hamza Yassin and Jowita Przystał.
Earlier this year, she stepped down from her BBC Radio 5 Live show, telling fans “the juggle is real” with being a working mum.
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