Coronation Street icon Helen Worth, better known to viewers as Gail Platt, has reportedly signed a new contract that will increase her yearly number of appearances, but it will lead to her final exit as Gail Platt after 50 years in the role.
Helen, 73, will celebrate 50 years in the ITV soap next month. Joining the show as feisty teenager Gail Potter, she quickly became one of the show’s most iconic characters, and has married five of the street’s men.
As the lodger of the iconic Elsie Tanner (Pat Phoenix), it wasn’t long before we met her mum Audrey Roberts (Sue Nicholls) and she had two children with Brian Tilsley (Christopher Quinten).
Her second marriage was to the much younger Martin Platt (Sean Wilson), with whom she had son David Platt (Jack P. Shepherd).
She’s been driven into a canal, dealt with the teenage pregnancy of daughter Sarah Platt (Tina O’Brien) and spent time inside of the murder of fourth husband Joe McIntyre (Reece Dinsdale), who died whilst faking his own death.
Gail Rodwell's many marriages
- Brian Tilsley: She first married the mechanic in 1979, and a year later they welcomed son Nicky. They later divorced after both being unfaithful, but the birth of daughter Sarah reunited them and they re-married in 1988, a year before he was stabbed to death outside a nightclub.
- Martin Platt: After the birth of their son David, the two wed in 1991. She struggled to forgive his affair with nurse Rebecca and they divorced in 2000, with him moving on to teenager Katy Harris.
- Richard Hillman: Financial advisor Richard turned out to be a serial killer that was plotting to acquire her friends and family’s homes through an equity release scheme. He later drove the family into a canal and drowned.
- Joe McIntyre: David and Joe’s daughter Tina were once a couple, but when they broke up, Gail took a shine to debt-ridden Joe and they married. Shortly afterwards, he planned to fake his own death in Lake Windermere but drowned, and Gail was falsely imprisoned for his murder.
- Michael Rodwell: The pair met when Michael was burgling No. 8 Coronation Street. A few years after marrying, he suffered a heart attack in front of murderer Pat Phelan, who stood and watched him die.
Gail was last on our screens in March, in her 4,579th episode, but we could be seeing a lot more of her soon.
Helen’s reported £250,000 per year contract could see her overtake William Roache, 92, who is the longest-serving television soap actor in the world in his role as Ken Barlow.
William has starred in 4,843 episodes since the first edition in 1960.
A source told The Sun: ‘Coronation Street has some of the longest-serving stars across all of TV but Bill’s record was always thought to be untouchable.
‘Helen’s deal means she’s within touching distance. It’s her involvement in so many big storylines that gives her such an appearance rate.’
Her most recent big storyline has been the revelation that her brother Stephen (Todd Boyce) was a serial killer.
She hasn’t had an easy life, our Gail and the fear is it might get worse with a ‘dramatic’ storyline set to end Gail’s tenure according to a spokesperson for the show.
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On her difficult decision, 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.
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‘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.’
As for whether she will overtake that coveted episode count before she goes – it’s all to play for!
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