ONE Coronation Street legend has been seen for the first time as he returned to the set after decades off screen.
The actor is reprising his iconic role for Gail Platt’s exit storyline, following Helen Worth’s decision to quit the soap after a whopping 50 years.
Sean Wilson, 59, originally played the role of Martin Platt on the cobbles for 20 years.
He first joined the soap in 1985, and he last made a brief return to the long-running ITV show in 2018.
Now, the actor has been pictured for the first time after he left the Salford studios where the programme is filmed.
He cut a casual figure in a blue-patterned shirt, shorts, monochrome trainers and a grey hat.
The actor made the most of the sunshine as he donned sunglasses after filming his first scenes.
Sean also broke his silence on his return, after the commercial broadcaster officially confirmed that he was heading back to Weatherfield.
Ahead of the anticipated comeback, he explained: “It was great to be invited back to Coronation Street again, to contribute to Helen’s exit story.
“We’ll have a few months to catch up with Martin and Gail again, following the ebbs and flows of the unfolding storyline.
“Playing Martin has been a joy since day one and in a way, I’ll be slipping back to where I left off, which no doubt will throw a spanner into the heart of the Platt family.
He added: “It’s just like slipping on an old and comfortable jumper from the back of the wardrobe …I’m looking forward to reuniting with my TV family.”
The star began filming today and the character won’t be seen on screen until October.
We first revealed Gail’s exit storyline last month, where we reported that she would rekindle her romance with Martin.
According to our source, bosses felt the plot marked a fitting end for Corrie favourite Helen, 73, when she leaves the ITV soap at the end of the year after five decades on-screen.
Despite their ten-year union ending when Martin had an affair, he’s widely considered to be the most successful of Gail’s six marriages.
Corrie has said goodbye to several cast members this year. Let's break down who's left the famous soap:
Eliza Woodrow (Savannah Kunyo) has said farewell to Corrie to start a new life in Germany.
The youngster moved to live with her dad Dom Everett, who went back on the £10,000 bribe Eliza’s grandfather Stu had offered to keep him out of her life.
Paul Foreman (Peter Ash) will bow out of the soap this summer when he loses his fight with motor neurone disease (MND) in tragic scenes.
After being diagnosed last year, the fan favourite was devastated to learn he only had months left to live.
Viewers know he is planning to take his own life to end his suffering.
Summer Spellman (Harriet Bibby) departed the cobbles after being offered the opportunity of a lifetime to study in America.
Though she struggled to decide with her stepdad Paul’s impending death from MND, she was convinced she had to live her life to the full.
Simon Barlow (Alex Bain) has struggled with the sudden departure of his father Peter from the cobbles.
The Weatherfield legend left his family and loved ones behind on Boxing Day, 2023, when his wife Carla Connor encouraged him to travel around the world with a friend.
Simon’s been on a downward spiral ever since and his exit could end in tragedy.
Alya Nazir is set to leave the cobbles as actress Sair Khan prepares to go on maternity leave ahead of the birth of her first child.
It looks likely she’ll be heading to Dublin after securing a lucrative new job, leaving her colleague and fling Adam Barlow behind.
Show stalwart Sue Cleaver, who plays Eileen Grimshaw, is taking a break to star in the Sister Act The Musical UK tour. She will be back filming in May once her dates on the tour come to an end.
Her character left the Street after her son Jason broke his back after falling off a moped in Asia.
A source said: “A number of options were considered for Gail’s departure from the cobbles but bosses knew the moment needed to truly celebrate one of Corrie’s most iconic characters as well as honour Helen’s astonishing run on the soap.
“It just didn’t sit right to kill her off or have Gail suffer more tragedy after, let’s face it, a pretty traumatic life.
“Martin was always considered the one that got away and bosses are thrilled they’ve been able to tempt Sean back to wave Gail goodbye.
“The plotline has many nuances, twists and turns but script writers all want this to feel like a gorgeous end of Gail’s story, with her finally finding her happy ending.”
We’ll have a few months to catch up with Martin and Gail again, following the ebbs and flows of the unfolding storyline
Sean Wilson
Sean first chose to leave his character behind in 2005, before opting for a huge career change.
He trained as a chef and went on to win awards with his Saddleworth Cheese Company.
Sean reprised his role for a few episodes in 2018 as Martin said goodbye to family, including his son David (Jack P. Shephard), before he emigrated to New Zealand.
Helen confirmed last month that she would leave the soap at the end of 2024 after she had signed her final contract.
She said: “This year felt like the perfect time to leave the show after celebrating 50 years in the most wonderful job on the most wonderful street in the world.
“The past 50 years have flown by and I don’t think the fact that I am leaving has quite sunk in yet.”
The beloved British soap has been captivating audiences for decades.
The show follows the lives of the residents as they navigate love, loss, family drama, and community struggles.
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