Coronation Street staple Helen Worth has announced she is stepping down from the soap after 50 years.
Helen is best known for her portrayal of Weatherfield resident Gail Platt in the long-running soap, a character she first began playing in 1974.
After five decades on the cobbles, the award-winning actor announced on Wednesday that she would be stepping away from the show later this year, and will be filming her final scenes as Gail next month in what’s being described as a “major storyline for the Platt family”.
“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,” she said.
“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 73-year-old admitted: “The past 50 years have flown by and I don’t think the fact that I am leaving has quite sunk in yet.”
Over the last 50 years, Corrie fans have seen Gail at the centre of numerous huge plotlines, most notably her daughter Sarah-Louise’s teenage pregnancy, an attempted murder attempt by her ex-husband Richard Platt and her Tudor-esque six marriages.
In 2014, to coincide with her 40th anniversary playing Gail, Helen was honoured with an Outstanding Contribution prize at the National Television Awards.
She was also recognised with an MBE last year for her services to drama.