It’s hard to believe, but Gail Platt has been treading the Corrie cobbles for 50 years. We take a look back . . .
WORDS: SUE CRAWFORD
It’s 50 years since Coronation Street favourite Gail Platt first set foot on the cobbles, and during those five decades barely a day has passed that she’s not entertained us with drama, heartache and witty one-liners.
From six weddings – she’s the soap’s most married female character – to affairs, bitter family feuds and brushes with serial killers, Gail has had a tumultuous time.
Thankfully, actress Helen Worth, 73, has lived a drastically different life to her alter ego!
Helen, who lives in London with her husband, Trevor Dawson, has always found it easy to leave Gail at work. “I come home and see friends and go to the theatre. Luckily, I find it quite easy to switch off – I’d be a nervous wreck if I didn’t!”
With the recent news that Gail is soon to be leaving Corrie, we look back at the highs and lows of those fabulous 50 years, on screen and off.
Early Days
Although Helen was 23 at the time of her casting, Gail was supposed to be 16 when she arrived on the cobbles in 1974.
Helen already had 10 years of television experience behind her when she joined. A child star, she had previously enjoyed roles in Z-Cars, Doctor Who and Within These Walls. Gail was initially intended to be a very minor part – the friend of a more established character, Tricia Hopkins.
But after Tricia was written out, Gail teamed up with flirtatious Suzie Birchall and the duo became firm fan favourites after moving into No 11 Coronation Street to live with the legendary Elsie Tanner.
Helen says, “I initially joined for six weeks, but it was so easy to stay here, because it’s a great place to work.”
Horrible Husbands
When Gail discovered that her seemingly mild-mannered husband Richard Hillman was actually a serial killer, she uttered the line, “You’re Norman Bates with a briefcase,” comparing him to the infamous killer in the film Psycho.
In 2003 Richard attempted to kill the whole Platt family by driving them into the canal.
Helen, who can’t swim, said, “It was so scary, but I did it. It was such an exciting stunt.”
Helping Hands
Helen is a devote
