SHAYNE Ward has paid tribute to Helen Worth ahead of her final ever Coronation Street scenes.
The actress – who has played Gail Platt for an incredible 50 years – will leave the cobbles for good over Christmas.
Ahead of her exit, former co-star Shayne Ward has paid tribute to Helen, 73.
Speaking exclusively to The Sun, the 40-year-old said: “It’s a huge loss because she’s phenomenal. And I was very, very blessed to have done lots of scenes with her. And I loved it. I absolutely loved it.”
Helen had been nominated for a BAFTA TV award for her moving monologue she delivered on air following Shayne’s character Aidan’s suicide.
The scene, which aired in 2018, left viewers at home in tears as Gail peered out her window, urging neighbours to look after each other and not suffer in silence.
Shayne continued: “When you’re in her presence as well, she’s so sweet on and off camera and a joy to watch on camera, especially in those scenes because you learn so much from her. So I know that she’ll be a huge loss.
“And I think it’s hitting a point, I guess, with Coronation Street as well of that generation that we’ve watched on screen for 20, 30 years. And, you know, it’s hard to see really because I’ve always known her to be on the show.
“And, you know, especially for the Platt family in general, like, you know, she’ll be hugely missed. And she’s such an iconic character to go. But she’s served the Cobbles very well and she’ll be missed.”
Meanwhile, Shayne also defended Coronation Street amid backlash from former stars and fans.
ITV viewers had taken aim at bosses and said the soap had “lost its way”.
Shayne said: “I hope in my heart that it will always be there. And that because it is such an iconic show that, you know, that the public will do their best to try and keep on the television.
“But just times are changing so much. You never quite know.”
By Jake Penkethman, TV Reporter
1960-1968 – Whilst the Coronation Street set remained on Quay Street for 53 years, it actually had three separate studio sites. The first was an entirely indoor wooden set which was used for the first eight years of filming. This encompassed a replica of the Street built entirely indoors. The set was known to be awkward for actors to use and the houses brought to three quarter scale.
1968-1982 – In 1968, the addition of an outdoor set was created to adjoin the existing indoor set which was still used for filming right up until 1982. The set was used only when required with many of the show’s cast reportedly hating it and describing it as ‘the coldest place on Earth’.
1982-2013 – A brand new set was officially constructed in 1982 and was almost built fully to scale but still only permitted for one car to drive down the cobbled street. The house were purpose-built using reclaimed Salford brick in order to give it the most authentic feel possible. During these years, some of the show’s buildings were adapted to allow for both interior and exterior filming at the same time. These locations included Elliott’s Butchers, Barlow’s Buys, Prima Doner and Webster’s Autos. The final scenes to be recorded on this site occurred in December 2013. By early 2014, it began operating as a tourist attraction for around two years before ultimately being demolished and re-purposed in 2017.
2014-present – In early 2014, the show’s set moved to the TV hub of the North – MediaCityUK in nearby Salford Quays. It is now located a stone’s throw from major TV studio Dock 10 as well as the BBC’s base in the North – home to Blue Peter, Newsround, BBC Breakfast and BBC Sport. The new set was even bigger and built to 9/10 the scale of a real street and allowed for two card to be travelling down the road at opposite sides for the very first time. The site has even undergone major expansions during its 10 years. Just four years after opening in 2018, a brand new set extension was unveiled which introduced viewers to Victoria Gardens for the first time in its history. The Weatherfield North tram stop also became visible as did a series of shops which became used as part of product placement advertising deals. Brands to have been seen on the Street so far include a Co-Op, a Costa Coffee and a branch of Hay’s Travel. Four years later in 2022, another brand new set was unveiled, this time being the heavily mentioned Weatherfield Precinct. It became the first time in 62 years that the area had ever been seen on screens. It fearued a variety of shop fronts, a playground and a number of small flats which have begun to house more and more residents on the street in recent months.
