Coronation Street actress Catherine Tyldesley has admitted she goes days without speaking to her young children as she revealed the challenges of working away as a mum
Catherine Tyldesley has revealed the tough realities of her job and how she copes being away from her family. The actress, 41, shares her son Alfie, 10, and daughter Iris, three, with her husband Tom Pitfield.
However, in a bombshell revelation Catherine said she can go multiple days without speaking to her young children. Catherine, who found fame on Coronation Street, explained it is not uncommon for her to be away from the family for long periods.
She has recently starred in The Good Ship Murder, which was filmed on a luxury cruise ship in Malta. While Catherine was away working on the series in the lavish location, Tom stayed at home to be with their kids.
Due to the stark contrasts in her work and home life, Catherine admitted it makes her feel she is “somebody else”. Explaining the situation, the TV star said: “When I’m on set, being in Malta as much as I have been, a year-and-a-half in total if you join it all up; I’m OK, because it’s very fast paced.
“A little bit like it was on Corrie; my head is firmly in work mode. I’m somebody else, I’m not me. But it’s when I get back to that hotel in the evening and it’s silent.. The bedtime routine, bath time, not being able sit on the bed and read Iris a book or chat to Alfie about how his day was.”
She said the family use video calls, but confessed “it’s not the same.” Speaking on the Behind the Brood podcast, Tom told Catherine: “Some days we’ll go two or three days without Zooming and that might seem mental to some people.
“The reality is, you’ll sometimes want to ring Iris and she’s too busy playing with her dollies.” Catherine added: “We feel like we know when the time is right and I’m often on a different time zone to you.
“When I’m filming on the cruise ship, that’s a nightmare because the WiFi is all over the place and we skip from tome zone, to time zone. It is difficult and I always say to the other actors on set.. they’re like, ‘You alright, Cath? Are you missing your kids?’ And I’m like, ‘I just want to sniff them’.”
In response Tom joked: “It’s funny, as I just want to launch them out of the window some days!” Following a rocky love life, Catherine found love with photographer Tom in 2014 and after a nine-month whirlwind romance, they announced they were expecting their first child together.
They welcomed a little boy named Alfie James and wed in 2016 in a lavish ceremony attended by many Coronation Street co-stars. The couple later welcomed their second child, a little girl named Iris Ella, who was born in April 2022.
Catherine hasn’t been shy about showing her love for Tom on social media as in 2023 she gushed: “Best. Dad. Ever. Someone said to me recently that the best piece of advice they’d been given was ‘be careful who you chose to have kids with!’ I think that’s spot on!!
“They’re not as golden as this one!! Wise advice. Find someone who has a heart as big as the ocean, the patience of a saint, and has SHED loads of energy!”
She added: “@tompitfieldphotography you go above and beyond every single day. You are the biggest of heroes to our children. I also think it’s safe to say my inner child is very present so I am aware of how full your plate must feel my love. We love and appreciate you every single day in every single way. Thanks for knocking me up.”
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