Coronation Street has bid farewell to Gail Platt/Rodwell after a remarkable 50 years, leaving ITV viewers with mixed feelings. Helen Worth made her emotional exit from the soap in a Christmas Day episode that saw Gail finally find her happy ending by marrying Jesse Chadwick (John Thomson) and bidding adieu to her loved ones.
After a nightmare involving her late serial killer ex-husband Richard Hillman attempting to thwart her wedding to Jesse, Gail resolved to become Mrs Chadwick and trade Weatherfield for a fresh start in France. However, Gail's fairytale conclusion 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 lamented: "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."
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However, many fans felt that Gail's farewell was a fitting send-off for the beloved soap icon. "A brilliant Christmas episode of #Corrie tonight," one fan wrote, reports the Mirror.
"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 before being broadcast live at 7pm on ITV1. One early bird viewer took to Twitter to warn others: "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 50 years on the cobbles.
The tears shed by her on-screen family were genuine as she was driven away down the cobbles, 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 signified the conclusion of a half-century portraying the much-adored – and frequently wedded – Gail. Gail tied the knot with her first spouse Brian Tilsley, played by Christopher Quinten, in 1979 and they greeted their first child, a son 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 fatally stabbed by a group of teenagers outside a nightclub.
After Brian's demise, Gail found herself in a relationship with Martin Platt, portrayed by Sean Wilson, who was 10 years her junior. They welcomed their son David in 1990 and married the following year before moving into the famous No 8 house with their children.
After a decade 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 exit storyline was thrown into uncertainty after Sean briefly returned to the show but later left due to "personal reasons".
The actor, who had been a part of the soap for over two decades, later alleged he was dismissed when a historic assault allegation surfaced – which he denies.
Gail's subsequent marriage proved to be her most chaotic, with husband Richard Hillman – portrayed by Brian Capron – revealed as 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.
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 found herself secretly involved 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 painkiller addiction. Their relationship also ended dramatically when Joe tried to fake his own death to claim life insurance money, but tragically drowned.
Michael Rodwell (Les Dennis) became Gail's fifth husband – they initially met when he tried to rob her house. They wed in 2015, but separated following a disagreement over Michael's son.
Shortly afterwards, Michael suffered a fatal heart attack in 2016. Since joining the cobbles in July 1974, Helen's character has been central to 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, titled 'Gail and Me'.
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