Coronation Street fans’ shock at age gap between Gail and Audrey stars | Soaps

Coronation Street icons and mother/daughter duo Audrey Roberts (Sue Nicholls) and Gail Platt (Helen Worth) have been on our screens since the 1970s.

They are soap legends and over the years, they have made us laugh and cry with their comedic mishaps and dramatic storylines.

Sadly though, this iconic duo will be no more come the end of 2024, following the news Helen Worth is saying goodbye to the soap and her role as Gail Platt.

‘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. I made the decision at the start of the year and spoke to the producers who were very kind and understanding’, Helen said.

‘I have been truly blessed to have been given the most incredible scripts week in week out, and to have worked with fantastic actors, directors and a brilliant crew. 

‘The past 50 years have flown by and I don’t think the fact that I am leaving has quite sunk in yet.’

Helen will start filming her final storyline next month, with her departure expected to air later this year.

So, where to start when it comes to Audrey and Gail? From that memorable scene going for a power walk, to Gail emotionally opening up to Audrey after Aidan (Shayne Ward) ended his life, these two characters represent a dynamic everyone can relate to – and they’re always (well, nearly always) looking out for each other.

While Audrey and Gail never fail to deliver surprises, there is one fact in particular about the stars that has recently shocked us.

There is only 7 years between Sue and Helen!

Yes, that’s right, Sue is 80 while her on-screen daughter is 73!

Many fans have made this discovery previously, with a lot of Corrie audience members taking to X (Twitter) to express their feelings.

Shortly after the news Claire Sweeney had joined the soap to play Cassie, Tyrone’s (Alan Halsall) biological mother in 2023, one user said: ‘People commenting on the 11-year age gap between her and Tyrone probably haven’t realised Sue Nicholls and Helen Worth – Audrey and Gail – are only seven years different in age in real life!’.

When it comes to storylines involving Audrey and Gail, they most recently endured a stressful matter as Gail desperately tried to make Audrey see that she had a drink problem.

The plot eventually led to Audrey’s son, Stephen Reid (Todd Boyce) returning, who murdered three people and was eventually killed by Peter Barlow (Chris Gascoyne) when he drove into the evil businessman.

Just standard, really.

After news broke about Helen’s departure, so many stars took to social media to reflect on the impact she’s had on Corrie and everybody’s lives.

‘Can’t put into words how much I love and adore Helen,’ Tina O’Brien, who plays Gail’s daughter Sarah Platt, wrote.

‘A genuine icon,’ Glenda Shuttleworth actress Jodie Prenger added, alongside some broken heart and crying emojis.

Also among the famous faces paying tribute was Executive Producer Iain Macleod.

He said: ‘The words “legend” and “icon” get used a lot these days but they genuinely do apply to Gail and to Helen Worth. However, given her humility, I know Helen won’t thank me for saying so!

‘In Helen’s hands, Gail has been a huge part of Coronation Street for five decades and at the centre of some of the most memorable storylines – often deriving from her catastrophically bad luck in choosing husbands! 

‘Her ill-fated marriage to Richard Hillman was one of the most ground-breaking stories in soap history and cemented Gail’s already established status as one of the Corrie greats.

MORE : Gail Platt’s departure will close a door on the Coronation Street of old

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