It may be hard to believe but soon Helen Worth will be celebrating 50 years on the cobbles. The actress joined Coronation Street in 1974 as Gail Platt, 14 years after the ITV soap first hit screens.
And while she wasn't in it from the start like record-holding co-star William Roache, who is famed for playing Weatherfield's Ken Barlow, the character of Gail has only risen in popularity, achieving her own cult following, with her entertaining mannerisms often the source of viral memes.
In her almost four decades in Weatherfield, Gail has faced her fair share of joy, drama, and near-death experiences! She is somewhat of a sucker for love, having been married six times but she's also almost been killed by one of partners - who can forget that famous Richard Hillman crash?
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And, while her life off-screen hasn't been as dramatic, it has had its ups and downs from a childhood loss to unfaithful marriage splits. In her life behind the cameras, Helen, who is 72, has opened up about her two marriages - first to the late Michael Angelis and secondly to teacher Trevor Dawson.
The soap star married Liverpool-born narrator Michael, who will be recognised for voicing Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends, in 1991, after meeting years earlier in the 70s.
But, just a few years after tying the knot, the couple hit rocky ground after he had an affair in 1995 and revealed his infidelity to his wife after it was leaked to the press. Despite forgiving Michael, Helen later divorced him in 2001 when it was revealed that the star had been involved in another affair with model Jennifer Khalastchi - who he went on to marry in the same year.
Speaking to the Mirror at the time of her heartbreaking split from Michael, who died at the age of 76 in May 2020, Helen said: "Nothing can ever prepare you for the day your husband sits you down and tells you he is having an affair.
"My marriage was everything to me. It was the foundation on which everything else was built. I had been with Michael for nearly half of my life. I never imagined that we wouldn’t grow old together."
More than a decade after her divorce, Helen went on to marry Trevor in 2013, and admits it was 'love at first sight' with the 'gorgeous' music teacher from London. Speaking to her former co-star Nigel Havers on a segment on This Morning back in 2021, she said: "I met Trevor about 10 years ago and I just thank my lucky stars really.
"He's just gorgeous." And Trevor has previously shared how she managed to woo him. "Cooking is Helen’s department. I do the consuming. She's really good." But Trevor, who is seven years younger than Helen, had already been a fan of the star - regularly watching her character on screen.
"We watch the show together. I had always been a fan going back some years. I used to watch it with my mum. Of course, Gail was my favourite," he told The Mirror in 2016. The pair actually kept their relationship private for more than a year before tying the knot in 2012 in front of many of her Corrie co-stars.
The newlyweds were greeted by nearly 200 well-wishers who cheered as they emerged from the ceremony. Helen said to their guests at the time: "It's been the most fantastic day, it has exceeded all expectations. We are thrilled that so many of our friends and family could be here to celebrate with us."
Despite having long lived in London, Helen grew up in Morecambe, Lancashire. At the age of eight, her parents fostered an 11-year-old Ghanaian-born overseas student, who remained with the family for eight years.
He left their home shortly after Helen’s mother was tragically killed in a hit-and-run accident. The actress was just 20 at the time, and has spoken about her devastation that her mum never got to see her in the legendary role as Gail. The Daily Star reports Helen said in a previous interview: "The one person I really wanted to tell when I got the part of Gail was my mother.
"She would have been so thrilled. More excited than me. She'd been there all the way - at the dance classes, holding my hand before the competitions, putting on her best suit to take me to London for auditions. But when I finally made it, she wasn't there to share it with me. I'd never missed her more."
In terms of Helen's career, she graduated from drama school and went on to work in repertory theatre, which included a year with the BBC Radio repertory company. She has had uncredited bit-parts in the films Oliver! and The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, and appeared on television in the Doctor Who story Colony in Space, The Doctors, Helen: A Woman of Today, Within These Walls, and The Carnforth Practice.
But her actual first known role was in Z-Cars, a police series on BBC One, in which she played the role of Maisie for one episode. However, she was then known by Helen Wiggleworth And Helen Worth technically isn't her real name - she was born Cathryn Helen Wigglesworth - but has apparently never explained the reason for the change.
As for Corrie, Helen has been a mainstay in the ITV soap's cast and in 2014 was honoured by ITV with a 30-minute documentary celebrating her 40 years on the ITV serial drama, with a one-off special titled Gail & Me.
At the time, the TV icon has said she plans never to quit the street, saying she's happy with Gail's never-ending drama, and that she loves her job.
And, earlier this year, the soap star was beaming with joy as she was made an MBE by the Prince of Wales. She swapped the famous Coronation Street cobbles for Windsor Castle in January and was full of praise for Prince William.
Helen told the PA news agency: "He (William) was so lovely, so easy. He asked all the right questions. He was very complimentary."
She added: "It just feels absolutely wonderful. To collect an MBE is very special. But to receive it in this beautiful building and to be able to walk through it and look at all these pictures and tapestries, I love castles and houses in history, and so for me to come here today is just absolutely wonderful."
