Helen Worth was surprised by hundreds of Coronation Street cast and crew members who gave her a rousing send-off as she said farewell to the soap after 50 years on the cobbles.
The 73-year-old actress delivered her last lines as her character, Gail Rodwell, surrounded by her on-screen family in the Platt’s living room.
Her exit storyline, which featured in the Christmas Day episode, saw Gail decide to swap Weatherfield for a new life in France after she finally got her happy ending by marrying Jesse Chadwick, played by John Thomson.
Her final on-screen scene saw her driving away from the cobbles, but, because the show is filmed out of order, the last segment she recorded was in Gail’s home.
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In a clip shared by the ITV soap, Worth can be seen becoming tearful as the cast and crew applaud her after a director calls cut on her last scene.
She tells the Coronation Street team: “The reason I’ve been here all these years – and it’s a lot of years, it’s more than I can think about really – is because of all of you people that have been here for, well, some of you for all of those 50 years and others for half of that time.
“But I couldn’t have done any of it without you. I really couldn’t. You are the most amazing team of people, and I really do say thank you.”
Addressing her co-stars, she continued: “And as for this lot, who didn’t tell me (about this)… Oh God, I love them so much.
“I don’t quite know what I’m going to do without you. But thank you for everything.”
Actress Sue Nicholls, who plays Gail’s on-screen mother, Audrey Roberts, then calls for three cheers for Worth as the rest of the TV family appear emotional.
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Reflecting on the surprise, her on-screen son, David Platt, played by Jack P Shepherd, said: “It was important to us all that we were in her final scene and able to give her the send-off she deserves.
“All the other crews filming that day stood down and there were hundreds of people there to say goodbye.”
Gail’s final storyline was not without drama as her late serial killer ex-husband Richard Hillman, played by Brian Capron, tried to stop her marrying Jesse.
Having joined the soap in July 1974, Worth’s character has been a prominent figure in a number of explosive storylines over the years, with her ill-fated love life coming to define her.
During her 50 years on the show, she has been married many times and had three children – sons David and Nick and daughter Sarah.
In a pre-recorded message shared on social media after the episode, Worth said: “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.”
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