Helen Skelton ‘terrified’ after giving birth to baby without husband by her side. Helen has three kids with her ex Richie Myler…
Presenter Helen Skelton has been through some scary things – but the Blue Peter star once said that the most “terrifying” thing she ever went through was giving birth at home alone without her husband.
The star, 41, has three children with her rugby player ex Richie Myler – who she split from back in 2022.
Helen Skelton and husband Richie split in 2022 (Credit: Splash News)
Helen Skelton said son’s birth was ‘terrifying’ without husband
The pair moved to France in 2015 when Richie joined the Catalans Dragons club. And, in an old interview that resurfaced in the wake of their split, Helen shared that when she went into labour there with her middle child, Louis, in 2017, she was at home all alone, except for her toddler Ernie.
So I gave birth with just my three year old next to me, repeatedly hitting me on the head with a plastic sword.
She told the Mirror in 2019: “The scariest thing I ever did was give birth alone in my kitchen. I was in France and my husband was in England, and no one made it to me in time.
“So I gave birth with just my three year old next to me, repeatedly hitting me on the head with a plastic sword, because he thought we were playing dinosaurs. Terrifying.”
However, the presenter added that she had no choice so just had to get on with it.
Helen Skelton has three kids with her estranged husband (Credit: Splash News)
When did Helen and Richie get together?
Helen and Richie first met in 2011. They started dating and, after falling for each other, they went on to tie the knot in December 2013.
Ernie was born in 2015 then Louis followed in 2017. In 2021, they confirmed that they were expecting a third child, with Helen telling Lorraine Kelly on her talk show that the baby would be “my last one”.
Helen and Richie welcomed daughter Elsie Kate in December 2021. But in April 2022, when the baby was four months old, the Easter on the Farm star confirmed that she and Richie had split after eight years of marriage.
She wrote on her Instagram Story: “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.”
Richie moves on
While Helen appears to have remained single since the split, Richie has moved on.
He found love with Stephanie Thirkill, daughter of Andrew Thirkill, entrepreneur and owner of the Leeds Rhinos rugby team, where Richie played until 2023. He shared his first picture with Stephanie in July 2022 – three months after his split from Helen.
The couple welcomed their first child, a girl called Olivia, in May 2023. News they’d welcomed a boy, Freddie, was shared in September 2024.
