Helen Worth has quit her role as Gail Platt on Coronation Street after 50 years.
It has been announced that Gail Platt star Helen is leaving her role after a huge five decades and some iconic scenes on the Cobbles. Details of what the storyline will be that leads to Gail leaving the soap after decades on screen have not been confirmed, but bosses have teased that it will be "emotional" and will no doubt be a fitting departure for a soap legend.
There will no doubt be fears she could be killed off, as the storyline will see Gail and actress Helen bid farewell in a "major storyline". Helen will depart in scenes at the end of this year, whilst filming has yet to begin for the storyline. It’s no doubt been planned for some time, in time for Gail and Helen’s 50th year on the show, with Sally Dynevor reacting to the news live on Loose Women.
Speaking on Loose Women, she said: "She really is a Corrie legend. Helen phoned me yesterday but I didn't think it was going to break until Friday. I'm gonna miss her so much. Helen was there before I was there and she was a guiding light. She's a wonderful actress."
Speaking of her decision to bow out, 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 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."
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Soap boss Iain MacLeod also discussed the major news, while not giving anything away about how she will depart. He 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."
Gail Platt is an iconic resident of Weatherfield, having been on the soap for so long. She has been involved in some huge storylines over the years, and has three children still on the Cobbles - including Nick Tilsley, Sarah Barlow and David Platt. Gail is the daughter of Audrey Roberts, and her half-brother is Stephen Reid, who was outed as a Corrie killer just a few months back. Gail has been married to several Weatherfield men over the year including Brian Tilsley, Martin Platt, Richard Hillman, Joe McIntyre and Michael Rodwell.
Gail now lives with David and his family at number 8, and is always getting involved in her family's lives. From meddling with what Nick is up to, and who Sarah fancies at the moment, and also David's dram as about the salon. Gail is an integral part of Coronation Street, and it remains to be seen how she will exit the Cobbles for good. Perhaps Gail's most famous moment on the Cobbles was when she survived death when Richard Hillman's true intentions were revealed.
In the recent years, Gail suffered a health issue when she collapsed and was rushed to hospital, where it was confirmed she had
suffered a minor heart attack. Could this be how she exits - or will she sail off into the sunset happily?
Fans are devastated by her exit, and are calling for a national bank holiday amid the news of her departure. One wrote: "Legitimately in shock! Corrie will not be the same without her. Respect to Helen for making the bittersweet decision and all the very best for what the future brings," whilst another added: "Can we have a bank holiday for this please. I’ll be in a state of shock when Gail leaves."
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