Helen Worth set to leave Corrie: The life and many husbands of Gail Platt

Since joining Coronation Street in 1974, Gail Platt has kept viewers on the edge of their seats with the many explosive storylines she has been embroiled in.

On Wednesday, 73-year-old actress Helen Worth announced she will be bidding farewell to the ITV soap opera at the end of the year after 50 years in the role.

Ahead of her leaving the cobbles behind, here are some of her most dramatic stories and her many husbands.

– First husband – Brian Tilsley

Gail married her first husband Brian Tilsley, played by Christopher Quinten, in 1979 and they welcomed their first child, a son Nick, in 1980.

But their lives together became strained, with Gail divorcing him after having an affair with Ian Latimer.

They later remarried when their daughter Sarah was born in 1987, but just a year later Brian was stabbed to death by a group of teenagers outside a nightclub.

– Second husband – Martin Platt

Following Brian’s death, Gail found herself in a relationship with Martin Platt, portrayed by Sean Wilson, who was 10 years younger than her.

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 fell apart in 2000 when Martin confessed to having an affair with Rebecca Hopkins.

They tried to make it work for the sake of the family but later divorced in 2001.

– Long-suffering mother

From her various relationships, Gail became the mother of three children – Nick, Sarah and David.

They have kept her busy with their own scandals over the years, but one of the most controversial stories came in 1999 when she discovered her daughter Sarah was pregnant shortly after her 13th birthday.

Her first grandchild, named Bethany, was born in 2000 and the family did their best to adjust to having the new addition in their lives.

– Homicidal husband – Richard Hillman

Gail’s third husband turned out to be her most tumultuous. She first met Richard Hillman, played by Brian Capron, when he arrived in Weatherfield for the funeral of her friend Alma Halliwell.

Her children were initially concerned about the relationship as it was her first since leaving Martin, and it was revealed their gut instincts were correct when Richard turned out to be a con artist and serial killer.

Hillman caused mayhem in their lives with his various money-making schemes until he finally confessed his crimes to Gail, prompting her to kick him out.

Unfortunately, they had not seen the last of him. He returned to the cobbles and attempted to murder Gail and her children by tying them up in the family car and driving them into the canal.

The Platts were rescued from the water but Richard drowned, bringing his homicidal days to an end in 2003.

– Fourth husband – Joe McIntyre

Gail waited a while before diving into another marriage but she found herself in a secret relationship with Joe McIntyre, the father of Tina, who was dating Gail’s son David.

Their relationship was discovered and the couple married in 2010 after Joe, played by Reece Dinsdale, sought help for his painkiller addiction issues.

Their relationship also came to a dramatic end after Joe tried to fake his death to claim life insurance money, but he drowned in the process.

– Fifth husband – Michael Rodwell 

Gail first met Michael Rodwell when she caught him trying to burgle her house.

The incident left Gail shaken and she wanted to confront Michael, played by Les Dennis, about his motivations and to explain how it had affected her.

They later connected and married in 2015, but split after a dispute over Michael’s son.

Not long after, Michael died from a heart attack in 2016.

– Eileen Grimshaw

Eileen Grimshaw became one of Gail’s greatest enemies over the years. Their feud began following relationship issues between Gail’s daughter Sarah and Eileen’s son Todd.

Their conflict produced one of the most classic Coronation Street scenes, when the pair fought each other in the street after Gail confronted Eileen, played by Sue Cleaver.

The pair rolled on the ground, pulled one another’s hair and hurled abuse until they were dragged apart.