It’s going to be a genuine ‘end of era’ moment on Coronation Street soon, when iconic character Gail Platt (Helen Worth), who’s graced Weatherfield for 50 years, finally leaves the show.
And nobody is going to miss her more than her on-screen children David (Jack P Shepherd), Nick (Ben Price) and Sarah (Tina O’Brien). Jack P Shepherd has been talking to us about the events leading up to Gail’s departure from the street, in a storyline which has already kicked off with the recent arrival of Jesse Chadwick (John Thomson).
‘Jesse has explained that they’re more than just friends and they met over in Thailand,’ the actor told us.
‘For a while now David has been mentioning Gail’s life drawing classes that she keeps going to but it seems that’s a load of nonsense, she hasn’t been going to any life drawing classes. She’s been meeting up with Jesse. So that explains that. And David can’t believe she pulled the wool over his eyes.’
The timing is questionable in David’s eyes, because Gail has just taken out a bridging loan to pay for Bethany’s medical bills. ‘David’s suspicious that he wants that,’ Jack said.
In scenes currently airing, David isn’t contemplating Gail leaving, but with her having put the house up for sale he’s certainly contemplating the loss of his family home – and he’s not happy.
‘David’s always been hellbent on it being his house, and it’s never been any of the other siblings’ house, just David’s. I don’t know where he gets this from. It’s small man syndrome, I think!’ Jack laughed.
‘In his head it’s his birthright! He’s never moved out, but maybe he should have done. That’s why he always insists that it’s his house, and it’s just as much Nick’s and Sarah’s. But because he thinks it’s his house when she’s selling his house, he kicks off. He almost arm wrestles the ‘for sale’ sign off the estate agent in the garden. He’s not best pleased, obviously. He starts shouting and kicking off.’
The stress of this is too much for Gail, who collapses.
‘We’re in the Rovers at the time, and Carla (Alison King) comes in and she’s like, there’s an ambulance outside your house,’ Jack recounted. ‘I think it might be your mum. So then all us three kids panic. We’re straight down to the hospital. We’re asking how she is? What’s going on? It’s touch and go. They are really worried, obviously that they might be about to lose their mum.’
We know that Gail is definitely leaving the show one way or another – so how will David react to her loss? Jack told us he doesn’t expect David to suddenly become the glue that holds the Platts together after Gail has gone – especially as he’ll be dealing with problems of his own.
‘I don’t think he’ll become the glue, I think if anyone that’s going to have to be Sarah, it will be the middle child’s responsibility, as it is in every family. I think Nick will have his own thing, and he’ll bob in, bob out whenever needed. But ultimately, he’s got the bistro. He’s got loads of problems with Leanne (Jane Danson) and Toyah (Georgia Taylor). So he’ll have his own world to worry about.
‘The thing is for David there is a lot more stuff going on than his mum meeting a new man and talking about leaving Weatherfield and that is all about to start unravelling. He and Shona (Julia Goulding) are about to be tested and of course he has the secret about Damon (Ciaran Griffiths)’s money so I think he might have too much on his plate.
‘Sarah is always the one that ends up trying to pull everyone together and I imagine it will fall to her again.’
