Helen Skelton Shares the Hilarious School Run Moment That Left Her Son Completely ‘Mortified’

Being a parent often comes with plenty of funny—and slightly embarrassing—moments, and Helen Skelton has revealed one that every mum and dad can probably relate to.

The TV presenter candidly opened up about the realities of raising her three children, admitting that one innocent school run left her eldest son wishing he could disappear.

‘I Think You Need to Leave the Scooter Now, Mum’

Helen, 42, is mum to Ernie, 11, Louis, 9, and Elsie, 4, whom she shares with her former husband Richie Myler.

Speaking on The Runna Podcast, the former Strictly Come Dancing contestant confessed that, despite everything parents do for their children, they still secretly hope their kids actually like them.

“This is really sad but when you have kids, you just really want them to like you,” she admitted.

“It’s a weird thing, but you’re like: ‘I love you so much, just like me.’ My kids are at that age where sometimes they look at me and they’re like, ‘You are a…'”

Helen then recalled a recent school run that perfectly summed up life with a pre-teen.

She explained that she regularly rides a scooter to school alongside her children—but her eldest son recently decided it was time for that tradition to end.

“I scoot to school with my kids and, literally, my eldest went to me the other day: ‘I think you need to leave the scooter now, Mum.'”

Laughing about the moment, Helen added:

“I was like, ‘Oh God, he’s mortified.'”

The honest confession quickly resonated with parents who know just how easily children can become embarrassed by even the smallest things.

Wanting Her Children to Be Proud

While Helen jokes about embarrassing her kids, she also revealed there’s a much deeper reason she continues taking on physical challenges and adventurous projects.

She hopes her children will see that hard work and determination really do pay off.

“I don’t do it so that they go, ‘Oh, my mum is a legend,’ but in the moments when I’m not listening and they say to their mates, ‘My mum did that’—oh my God, I flipping love it.”

The presenter admitted she knows it might sound a little needy, but hearing her children feel proud of her means everything.

“I know that’s really sad and needy, but I can’t tell them to stick at something if I don’t practise what I preach.”

For Helen, leading by example is just as important as offering advice.

Life After Divorce

Helen has been raising her three children since separating from rugby player Richie Myler in 2022 after eight years of marriage.

Since then, she’s spoken openly about balancing work, motherhood and family life, earning praise from fans for her honesty and down-to-earth attitude.

Whether she’s tackling extreme sporting challenges, hosting live television, or simply trying to survive the morning school run, Helen continues to share the highs and lows of parenting with refreshing authenticity.

Romance Rumours Continue to Follow Helen

Away from family life, Helen has also found herself at the centre of ongoing speculation about her relationship with Morning Live co-host Gethin Jones.

The pair sparked dating rumours after attending the TV BAFTAs together, appearing in photos taken in the same hotel before the ceremony.

Both looked glamorous in coordinating black-and-white outfits, and fans were quick to wonder whether there was more than friendship between them.

Neither Helen nor Gethin has confirmed the rumours, and both have remained focused on their careers, leaving the speculation exactly that—unconfirmed.

But if there’s one thing Helen has made clear, it’s that right now, her biggest critics—and biggest motivation—are the three children waiting for her at home, even if one of them thinks it’s finally time for Mum to retire the scooter.