CORONATION Street fans have been left fuming in the run-up to Gail Platt’s exit from the show after 50 years.
Actress Helen Worth confirmed she would be departing the show for good earlier this year with her final ever episode set to take centre stage this Christmas Day.
Originally, it had been announced that Gail’s final episode would be kept off streaming platform ITVX in order for fans to all tune in to the linear TV broadcast that evening.
However, Corrie bosses have since completed a U-turn and decided to release Gail’s final ever appearance early at 7am.
It means that there is a huge chance that her final exit will be ruined for many fans that are choosing to watch the episode as it goes out that evening.
Criticism surrounding her exit has been high with many infuriated that Gail has featured only fleetingly over the past month and with very little fanfare surrounding her exit.
Now, furious fans have called the move to release the episode disrespectful after insisting it should have been a monumental TV event after 50 years on the cobbles.
One Corrie superfan slammed the soap as they wrote: “A final insult to Helen Worth. Gail’s exit should have been a huge TV event after 50 years on the show.
“But instead they’re shoving it on to ITVX in the morning before it even airs on TV. No respect.”
Another said it was a “disservice”, as they penned: “Barely any promo either where is Helen on This Morning or The One Show – it looks like the whole storyline has been a disservice.”
It led the original commenter to echo: “That’s what I mean! She should be everywhere talking about her last episodes.”
Someone else furiously blasted the decision as they pointed out how Corrie pulled the early release of the episode which exposed Joel Deering’s killer, as well as featuring a huge publicity push and live spin-off show, despite his character being a bit-part on the show for under a year.
They said: “The way they deemed it more important for the reveal of non-entity Joel’s killer to be held back from an early release. Once again the priorities are ALL wrong.”
Before someone else added: “After she gave the majority of her acting career to the show it’s deplorable.”
On-screen, Gail has been planning a Christmas Day wedding to Jesse Chadwick after secretly falling for one another on one of her trips to Thailand.
Amid their whirlwind love, they have also decided to up sticks and relocate to France.
Gail was forced to sell the Platt house to pay off the costs of Bethany’s cosmetic surgery and subsequent hospital stay in Turkey.
Although, for now, the exit details on Gail’s exit and whether she will make it down the aisle, or even to France, are being kept under wraps.
