Coronation Street has bid a final farewell to Gail Platt/Rodwell after half a century, leaving ITV viewers with mixed feelings.
Helen Worth made her emotional departure from the soap in a Christmas Day episode that saw Gail finally find her happiness. She tied the knot with Jesse Chadwick (John Thomson) and bid adieu to her loved ones.
Haunted by a nightmare where her deceased serial killer ex-husband Richard Hillman tried to sabotage her wedding to Jesse, Gail resolved to become Mrs Chadwick and trade Weatherfield for a fresh start in France.
However, Gail's fairy-tale ending left some viewers yearning for more. One disgruntled soap fan vented on Twitter (X) today: "@itvcorrie pretty poor show today. Felt like Gail was a background character in her own exit storyline. Pairing her off with that a gormless extra she shared no chemistry with was a disgrace to a character of 50 years #corrie."
Another viewer expressed their disappointment: "They've messed up this Gail exit storyline so bad...Helen Worth is "worth" so much more after 50 years... #corrie @itvcorrie," while a third chimed in: "Watching Gail's last episode of Corrie and it was a joke minus Richard Hillmans cameo. It was the equivalent of leaving a Job and them not bothering getting you a gift. Surely it needs revamped? #Coronationstreet #Corrie.", reports the Mirror.
However, many fans felt that Gail's departure was a fitting send-off for the beloved soap icon. One viewer wrote: "A brilliant Christmas episode of #Corrie tonight," adding, "A really good mix of comedy, Drama Catfight and emotion. Goodbye Gail and a huge congratulations to Helen Worth on 50 years of Coronation Street."
The episode was available to watch on ITVX from 7am this morning before airing at 7pm on ITV1. An early bird viewer shared their thoughts on Twitter, writing: "Watched todays episode of #Corrie and you will need tissues as its Gail's final episode. Helen Worth has been incredible to watch as Gail Platt."
Helen expressed her gratitude to viewers for "coming on the journey with me" as she bid farewell to her character Gail after half a century on the cobbles. The tears shed by her on-screen family were genuine as she was driven away down the cobbled streets, according to ITV.
In a pre-recorded message filmed in her on-set family living room, the 73 year old actress said: "Hello, all of you. It's wonderful to have this opportunity to say, 'ta ta! '."
"It's been a fabulous 50 years, and I just wanted to thank all of you, some of you who may have been watching for 50 years. Is there anybody? And those of you who've been watching for a few years. Thank you. Thanks for coming on the journey with me. I've had a wonderful time. I've loved it all."
"All the stories, and of course, working with the wonderful Platts, which, for me, is what it's all about. And there'll be more Platt stories, and I hope you'll be watching. Lots of love and thanks from me. Bye."
This signifies the end of a 50-year stint playing the much-adored and frequently married Gail.
Gail tied the knot with her first husband Brian Tilsley, portrayed by Christopher Quinten, in 1979 and they welcomed their first child, a son named Nick, in 1980. However, their marital bliss was short-lived, with Gail divorcing him after having an affair with Brian's cousin Ian Latimer.
They later remarried when their daughter Sarah was born in 1987, but just a year later Brian was tragically killed by a gang of teenagers outside a nightclub.
After Brian's untimely death, Gail found love again with Martin Platt, played by Sean Wilson, who was a decade younger than her. They welcomed their son David in 1990 and wed the following year before moving into the iconic No 8 house with their children.
After ten years together, the marriage crumbled in 2000 when Martin confessed to having an affair with Rebecca Hopkins, leading to their divorce a year later.
Over the summer, Helen's departure storyline was thrown into disarray after Sean made a brief return to the show but later exited due to "personal reasons". The actor, who had been a part of the soap for over two decades, later alleged he was let go when a historic assault allegation surfaced which he vehemently denies.
Gail's subsequent marriage proved to be her most turbulent, as her husband Richard Hillman, portrayed by Brian Capron, was a con artist and serial killer. After confessing his crimes to Gail, he attempted to murder her and her children by binding them in the family car and driving it into the canal.
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The Platts were saved from the water, but Richard drowned, ending his murderous spree in 2003. Gail took some time before embarking on another marriage, but she found herself in a clandestine relationship with Joe McIntyre, Tina's father, who was dating Gail's son David.
Their relationship was exposed, and the couple tied the knot in 2010 after Joe, played by Reece Dinsdale, sought help for his addiction to painkillers. Their relationship also ended dramatically when Joe tried to fake his own death to claim life insurance money, but tragically drowned.
Michael Rodwell, played by Les Dennis, was Gail's fifth husband they first met when he tried to rob her house. They wed in 2015, but separated following a disagreement over Michael's son.
Shortly thereafter, Michael suffered a fatal heart attack in 2016.
Since joining the cobbles in July 1974, Helen's character has been a central figure in numerous explosive storylines that have captivated the soap over the years, with her disastrous love life defining the character. In 2014, ITV honoured the veteran actress with a documentary celebrating her 40 years on the soap with a one-off special titled Gail and Me.
