Coronation Street viewers have shared the real reason David Platt calls his mum Gail by her first name – and it’s not what you might expect

Coronation Street viewers have just clocked the real reason David Platt famously calls his mum by her first name Gail.

Let’s just say it’s no secret that Gail (portrayed by Helen Worth) and David (played by Jack P. Shepherd) have had their fair share of explosive showdowns, including a well-remembered scene where David sent Gail tumbling down the stairs.

Nevertheless, this week marked an emotional departure for Gail from the cobbles after an impressive 50-year run. Back in June, actress Helen declared she would be taking her bow from the soap, saying it was “the perfect time” to do so.

On Christmas Day, we all welled up as Gail walked down the aisle for the seventh time to marry Jesse Chadwick (John Thompson). Post-nuptials, Gail and Jesse waved goodbye to Weatherfield to start afresh in France.

David and Gail have a infamous rocky relationship (Image: ITV)

But before she hopped across the Channel, there were heartfelt farewell scenes featuring Gail and her offspring Nick (Ben Price), Sarah (Tina O’Brien), David, and her mother Audrey (Sue Nicholls), reports Plymouth Live.

As might be expected, Gail leaving caused quite the stir among the Platts – with David himself even spotted letting slip a tear or two. And in a touching twist during Gail’s last episode, David finally referred to her as mum.

Now, fans long puzzled by David’s choice to call Gail by her given name may have cracked the code, thanks to some social media snooping. The majority view is that it stems from Gail once contemplating an abortion when pregnant with David – a fact David learned about years after.

One viewer speculated: “I think it goes back to when he found out that Gail considered aborting him.” A second chimed in: “He has called her Gail for years and years – ever since he discovered that she tried to abort him. Now THAT’S disrespectful.”

Fans have just discovered why he calls her by her first name (Image: ITV)

Then a third chimed in with: “They fell out badly when he found out that Gail had considered aborting him. I think that was the first time he sneered and called her Gail.”

While discussing what it’s like being part of the Platt family on the ITV soap, Jack P. Shepherd, who plays David, dished to Plymouth Live: “There’s a lot of us. And you can look at the kids now, and there’s three.”

“So, we’ve got my kid, Nick’s and Sarahs lookalikes for the next gen I’ve got Lily for Sarah, Nick sees himself in Sam and Harry is me all over. We’ve got top banter, a bit of work only a smidge really. Once that’s sorted, its back to the house! ” he lightheartedly added.

Coronation Street airs Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX