CORRIE star Helen Worth is quitting the cobbles after 50 years — surviving three on-screen murder attempts and five husbands, one a serial killer.
The actress, known to millions as Gail Platt and one of the biggest stars of the ITV1 soap, reaches her half century on the show next month.
Yesterday Helen, 73, confirmed she is about to start filming her final storyline as six-times married Gail. Her emotional farewell will be screened at the end of the year.
She said: “This year felt like the perfect time to leave the show after celebrating 50 years in the most wonderful job on the most wonderful street in the world.
“I made the decision at the start of the year and spoke to the producers, who were very kind and understanding.
“I have been truly blessed to have been given the most incredible scripts week-in week-out, and to have worked with fantastic actors, directors and a brilliant crew.
“The past 50 years have flown by and I don’t think the fact that I am leaving has quite sunk in yet.”
Coronation Street bosses have teased that Gail will “bid farewell to Weatherfield in a major storyline for the Platt family”, but are not giving away any other details as yet.
Helen made her first appearance on the cobbles in 1974 as Gail Potter and carved out a role that would make her one of the most recognisable soap stars in Britain.
Only Ken Barlow— co-star Bill Roache, 92 — has appeared in more episodes of the TV series.
Gail has had more weddings — and surnames — than almost anyone else and has buried all but one of her husbands.
With three kids, four grandkids and a serial killer husband (and brother), Gail has been at the forefront of Corrie for decades.
She has been imprisoned, framed for murder and almost murdered three times, surviving everything — including her troublesome children.
Helen, who lives in London and commutes to Manchester weekly to film her scenes, once said: “Luckily, I find it quite easy to switch off. I’d be a nervous wreck if I didn’t.”
Though Gail has had appalling luck in her life, the woman who plays her reckons her alter ego brings a lot of it on herself when it comes to her bothersome family.
‘Worst mum in the world’
She once commented: “I just hope that nobody follows her example. I think she’s possibly the worst mum in the world.”
Despite starting her career when there were just three TV channels and colour telly was still a rarity, Helen has become an internet sensation, with thousands of memes and posts on social media inspired by her character.
OFF-SCREEN MARRIAGES
CORONATION Street star Helen Worth has tied the knot twice in real life.
From 1991 to 2001 she was married to Boys from the Blackstuff actor Michael Angelis.
Then in 2013 she wed primary school teacher and former church organist Trevor Dawson in a London ceremony.
Corrie executive producer Iain MacLeod said: “The words ‘legend’ and ‘icon’ get used a lot these days, but they genuinely do apply to Gail and to Helen Worth.
“However, given her humility, I know Helen won’t thank me for saying so.
“In Helen’s hands, Gail has been a huge part of Coronation Street for five decades and at the centre of some of the most memorable storylines — often deriving from her catastrophically bad luck in choosing husbands.
“Her ill-fated marriage to Richard Hillman was one of the most ground-breaking stories in soap history and cemented Gail’s already established status as one of the Corrie greats.
“As the matriarch of the Platt clan, her affectionately prickly relationships with her kids and flighty mum Audrey epitomise what makes the show great.
She might not be in it a lot these days but Gail will still be such a massive loss. An amazing character
Viewer
“Gail has given us countless hours of entertainment, but it should also be said that Helen herself is a consummate professional and a thoroughly good egg.
“Everyone connected to the show will miss having her around as much as the viewers will miss having her on their screens.”
Helen, who was born Cathryn Helen Wigglesworth and raised in Morecambe, Lancs, will start filming her last storyline in July, with the final exit airing towards the end of the year.
With the ITV soap teasing it will be an emotional end, it seems likely viewers will be saying a final farewell to Gail. And they are already getting worked up over the upcoming goodbye.
One wrote: “The mention of ‘emotional scenes’ has me a bit worried about a possible death.”
A second said: “She might not be in it a lot these days but Gail will still be such a massive loss. An amazing character.”
Another added: “Helen Worth’s portrayal of Gail Platt has been stupendous throughout.”
A huge loss to Corrie
The Sun’s Soaps editor Carl Greenwood reveals how this is a massive blow to Coronation Street
THERE will be a huge hole on Coronation Street when Helen Worth leaves the cobbles later this year.
Actress Helen made her first appearance on the cobbles in 1974 as Gail Potter and has lived most of her life on them – and what a life it’s been.
Beloved by millions through the last half a century, Helen created one of the most iconic characters on British television.
Behind only Ken Barlow co-star Bill Roache, Helen has appeared in more episodes of a television series than anyone else.
She’s had more weddings – and surnames – than almost anyone else and buried multiple husbands – all but one ended up dead.
Three kids, four grandkids and a serial killer husband (and brother) – Gail has been at the forefront of Corrie for decades.
She’s been imprisoned, framed for murder, almost murdered multiple times, she’s survived serial killers, her own children and a concerning addiction to olives.
Not to mention countless street brawls with frenemy Eileen Grimshaw.
But through it all she’s remained a Corrie icon and her exit will leave a colossal hole on the cobbles – much bigger than the sinkhole that opened up in her back garden.
New Coronation Street boss Kate Brooks has her work cut out to give Helen and Gail the epic goodbye she deserves.
HUBBY 1: AFFAIRS
BRIAN TILSLEY (CHRIS QUINTEN) 1979-1987 AND 1988-1989: The playboy car mechanic gave Gail two children.
The couple both had affairs, split, then reunited, before he was stabbed to death outside a nightclub.
HUBBY 2: HE CHEATED
MARTIN PLATT (SEAN WILSON) 1991- 2001: Shortly after Brian’s death, Gail started sleeping with Martin and gave birth to son David in 1990.
She forgave him for a fling in 1994 but a second affair in 2000 ended their relationship.
HUBBY 3: JUST MURDER
RICHARD HILLMAN (BRIAN CAPRON) 2002-2003: After two bad boys, Gail went for a man who was pure evil.
After his property business hit the buffers, Hillman started bumping people off to cover things up. Desperate for cash, he tried to kill Gail’s mother, Audrey, to inherit the house.
The fiend staged a robbery, tried to kill Emily Bishop and bumped off Maxine Peacock. After taking Gail hostage, below, he finally killed himself.
HUBBY 4: DEAD END
JOE MCINTYRE (REECE DINSADALE) 2010: Gail met Joe when her son dated his daughter.
When he tried to fake his death for a life insurance payout, Joe accidentally did it for real. Gail was blamed but was cleared of murder.
HUBBY 5: BURGLAR
MICHAEL RODWELL (LES DENNIS) 2015-2016: The cobbles burglar met Gail via a Restorative Justice scheme and they got together on his jail release.
He left when he was the victim of a scam which she knew about.