Tamzin Outhwaite has opened up about her path to accepting her son is transgender after admitting she initially struggled with the news.
The EastEnders star, 55, shared the news on Rob Beckett and Josh Widdombe’s podcast, Parenting Hell, last year, stating that her 17-year-old son Flo started identifying as a boy aged 10.
“I did have two daughters and now I have a son and a daughter – that’s quite easy for me to say now, but it wasn’t maybe six or seven years ago,” she said.
Outhwaite has now reflected on their personal struggles, telling The Mirror: “It’s been a long journey, a very long journey, but we’re in a great place now.
“I’m just happy that he’s happy, and that’s how I feel at the moment. He’s thriving, absolutely thriving.”
The Red Cap actor, who shared Flo with Lucifer star Tom Ellis, admitted she’s typically “not allowed” to talk in depth about Flo, but was granted special permission as Parenting Hell is his favourite podcast.
In July 2025, Outhwaite said she initially thought Flo coming out as transgender was “ludicrous”, but found acceptance after undertaking therapy and talking to her family about the subject.
“Until you’re going through it yourself with your child, it’s difficult to judge the situation,” she told Beckett and Widdcombe.
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“Working back from that with talking, family therapy, therapy on Flo’s side as well, talking with family and realising you’re not alone.
She admitted she found the experience “distressing”, but said: “We worked together as a family and with outside help” and is overjoyed that Flow is so happy.
“The maddest thing is that it’s not the most interesting thing about him,” Outhwaite added. “He’s an incredibly funny, intelligent boy. And I’m watching him grow into a wonderful human who’s very talented. And to see him thriving is just nothing but relief and joy for me, really. Because there were some dark times.”
Outhwaite is best known for playing Melanie Owen in BBC soap EastEnders. She initially appeared on the series from 1998 to 2002, and returned for a brief stint from 2018 to 2019. Her other credits include dramas New Tricks and Hotel Babylon.
She was married to Ellis from 2006 to 2014 and was in a relationship with Tom Child from 2018 to 2024. She remains close friends with Child.
