ITV Coronation Street legend Helen Worth quits soap as bosses announce huge storyline

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Soap bosses have promised a huge storyline for Gail and the Platt family for her exit

Helen Worth, a legend from Coronation Street (Image: Getty Images)

Legend Helen Worth of Coronation Street has announced her 50-year departure from the soap opera. The actress, who has been a cherished character on the long-running ITV drama since 1974 as Gail, will depart at the end of the year.

Next month, she will commemorate her 50th year on the soap opera. In order to offer her and the Platt family a proper sendoff, ITV has promised a sizable plot.

The emotional passages in Helen’s exit tale will only be shown to fans at the end of the year; filming will begin on the story next month. “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,” Helen said in response to questions about her departure and her reasoning.

“I met with the producers at the beginning of the year and made the decision; they were really understanding and nice. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have worked with outstanding performers, directors, and crew members, as well as to have consistently been offered the most amazing screenplays.

“These fifty years have gone by so quickly, and it still hasn’t really hit me that I’m leaving.”

Early years of Helen Worth as Gail Potter (Image: ITV)

“The words ‘legend’ and ‘icon’ get used a lot these days but they genuinely apply to Gail and to Helen Worth,” said executive producer Iain Macleod in honour of Helen. But knowing Helen, I know she won’t appreciate my compliments! Under Helen’s direction, Gail has played a major role in Coronation Street for fifty years, including in some of the most memorable plots—many of which stem from her calamitously poor marriage choices!

One of the most innovative tales in soap opera history, Gail’s tragic marriage to Richard Hillman solidified her reputation as one of the greatest Corrie characters. As the show’s matriarch, Helen’s witty and dramatic interactions with her children and flighty mother Audrey perfectly capture the complex family dynamics that the show’s fictitious kin and Helen’s own dramatic and humorous skills bring to life.

“Although Gil has provided us with endless hours of pleasure, Helen is a model professional and a really nice person as well. We wish her all the best in the future and know that everyone associated with the show will miss her around as much as the audience will miss seeing her on TV.

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