As a soap mother and daughter duo, you'd be hard pressed to beat one as iconic as Coronation Street's Audrey Roberts and Gail Platt.
Over the years, the pair have become incredibly close since Helen Worth, who plays Gail joined in 1974, with Sue Nicholls joining five years later in 1979. The pair have been embroiled in some huge storylines, including Gail's failed relationships and the time her ex-husband Richard Hillman tried to kill her family.
While playing mother and daughter, viewers are aware that there are 17 years between Audrey and Gail but in real life, this is far from the reality for the two friends, who are soon-to-be former co-stars. It's been announced that after five decades, Helen is to depart the soap later this year.
Bosses at the Manchester-based soap have confirmed that Helen will start filming her exit storyline next month. While the details of the storyline are being kept under wraps, show bosses have confirmed it will be "major".
Fans have since been left shocked after discovering the age gap between Sue and Helen. Sue, is 80 while Helen is 73, meaning there are just seven years between them. Last year, one viewer wrote: "Sue Nicholls who plays Audrey Roberts in Coronation Street is 78 and Helen Worth who plays her daughter Gail Platt is 71. If the soap mirrored real life, Audrey would have given birth to Gail when she was just 7 years old. Mad."
Following the revelation in a Coronation Street superfan Facebook group, one fan said: "That's a surprise. I thought Gail was only in her early 60s." A second penned: "Wow. I didn't realise Helen Worth was that age. She looks easy 10 years younger." While another typed: "They both look great for their age!"
While over on Twitter, another said: "It's weird to think that Sue Nicholls is only 7 years older than Helen Worth but they can get away with being mother and daughter." "My favourite fact of the day: there is only seven and three quarters years age difference between Helen Worth (who plays the iconic Gail Platt) and Sue Nicholls, who plays her mother, Audrey Roberts," tweeted another.
But away from the Cobbles of Weatherfield, both Sue and Helen have very different lives. Born in Darlaston, Wednesbury, West Mids, Susan, which is her real name was born to Sir Harma Nicholls, who later became known as Lord Harmar-Nicholls and was the Tory MP for Peterborough and then MEP for Greater Manchester.
Due to her father being a life peer, Sue is titled The Honourable Susan Nicholls. However, due to Sue's parents not having any sons, the baronetcy became extinct upon his death in September 2000. Although Helen, whose real name is Cathryn Helen Wigglesworth, might not be from an aristocratic background, she actually had a very affluent upbringing. Born in Ossett, West Yorks, Helen grew up in a middle-class family and attended a private school. Currently, Helen lives in London and while enjoying a busy social life, maintains a low profile.
Tragically, Helen's mother died after a hit-and-run accident while visiting Brighton, leaving the actress distraught. Speaking about her decision to walk away from the iconic character, Helen 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 and 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." 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: complicated family dynamics brought to life impeccably by Helen’s dramatic and comedic chops, alongside those of her fictional clan.
"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 the place just as much as the viewers will miss having her on their screens and we wish her all the very best for the future."
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