Coronation Street legend Helen Worth has announced she is leaving the soap.
The actress who celebrates 50 years on the ITV show next month has made the difficult decision to leave her role as Gail Rodwell at the end of the year.
Half a century after she first walked the cobbles, viewers will see Helen say goodbye to the street in an important story for her family, which includes son Nick Tilsley (Ben Price), daughter Sarah Platt (Tina O’ Brien), his son David Platt (Jack P. Shepherd), his granddaughter Bethany Platt (Lucy Fallon) and Gail’s mother, Audrey Roberts (Sue Nicholls).
Helen will begin filming her coming out story next month and emotional scenes will appear on screen later in the year.
Helen said in a statement on Wednesday: “This year seemed 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.”
Coronation Street legend Helen Worth has announced she is leaving the soap.
The actress who will celebrate 50 years on the ITV show next month has made the difficult decision to leave her role as Gail Rodwell at the end of the year.
‘I made the decision at the beginning of the year and spoke to the producers, who were very kind and understanding.
“I have been truly blessed to have received the most incredible scripts week after week and to have worked with fantastic actors and directors and a brilliant team.
“The last 50 years have flown by and I don’t think it’s yet fully sunk in that I’m leaving.”
Executive producer Iain Macleod added: “The words ‘legend’ and ‘icon’ are thrown around a lot these days, but they really apply to Gail and Helen Worth.”
‘However, given her humility, I know Helen won’t thank me for telling her! In Helen’s hands, Gail has been a major part of Coronation Street for five decades and has been at the center of some of the most memorable storylines – often stemming from her catastrophic bad luck when it comes to choosing husbands!
“Her ill-fated marriage to Richard Hillman was one of the most groundbreaking storylines in soap history and cemented Gail’s already established status as one of Corrie’s greats.”
“As the matriarch of the Platt clan, her loving, prickly relationships with her children and mercurial mother Audrey epitomize what makes the show great: complicated family dynamics brought impeccably to life by Helen’s dramatic and comedic chops, along with of his fictional clan.
“Gail has provided us with countless hours of entertainment, but it must also be said that Helen is a consummate professional and a great person.”
“Everyone connected to the show will miss having her on site as much as viewers will miss having her on their screens and we wish her all the best for the future.”
Helen will begin filming her coming out story next month and emotional scenes will appear on screen later in the year.
In her time on the Corrie cobbles, Helen’s character Gail has been married five times, including to Brian Tilsey (pictured) who was stabbed to death.
One of her most iconic moments came when she was nearly drowned by her murderous husband, Richard Hillman.
Helen made her debut as a young Gail in 1974, and was soon followed by her desperate mother Audrey (played by Sue Nicholls).
In her almost 50 years on the soap, she has been married five times, including to Brian Tilsey (Christopher Quinten), who was tragically stabbed to death, and Martin Platt (Sean Wilson), one of the soap’s longest-serving characters.
Helen has been at the center of a series of explosive stories, including her daughter Sarah’s (Tina O’Brien) teenage pregnancy and the death of her debt-ridden fourth husband, Joe McIntyre (Reece Dinsdale), during a failed insurance scheme. of life.
One of Gail’s most iconic moments came when she appeared in a two-hander episode with her husband Richard Hillman (Brian Capron) in 2003, after learning he was a serial killer.
In the famous episode, which included a series of one-liners, Richard confessed that he had killed several people on the cobbles, including Maxine Peacock.
One of its most innovative plots came when Gail’s teenage daughter, Sarah Platt, became pregnant at the age of 13.
More recently, Gail has been dealing with the fallout from her grandson Max’s care at the hands of far-right extremists, much to the despair of her son David.
It all culminated in a famous episode in 2003 when Richard tried to end his own life and that of the Platts, driving his car into a canal, and sadly drowned while the rest of them were rescued.
Her quest to find love has never been easy, as she was later scammed out of all her savings by Lewis Archer (Nigel Havers) as revenge for getting in the way of his love for his mother Audrey.
Gail is no stranger to comedic moments either, including a legendary cobblestone fight with Eileen Grimshaw, after learning that her son Todd had gotten Sarah pregnant.
More recently, Gail has been dealing with the fallout from her grandson Max’s care at the hands of far-right extremists, much to the despair of her son David (Jack P Shepherd).
Helen was awarded an MBE for services to theater at Windsor Castle in January 2023, collecting her honor from Prince William.
Helen was awarded an MBE for services to theater at Windsor Castle in January 2023, collecting her honor from Prince William.
Speaking after receiving the honour, Helen said: “(William) was so lovely, so easy going. He asked all the right questions. He was very complimentary.”
‘It feels absolutely wonderful. “Collecting an MBE is very special.”
‘Having had a job that I love and being able to work in it is quite extraordinary. And then receiving an award for it is just the icing on the cake.
“To start, I have a little free time, but I will arrive with my medal the day I do.
‘There are quite a few medals distributed among the cast. They have already been given to everyone. I’m really bringing up the rear.’