Coronation Street's Sean Wilson quits soap as Gail Platt's exit storyline rewritten
Coronation Street have reportedly parted ways with actor Sean Wilson - who plays Martin Platt on the ITV soap - before the scenes have even aired as part of Helen Worth's exit storyline
![Coronation Street's Sean Wilson quits soap as Gail Platt's exit storyline rewritten](https://europe.easybranches.com/uploads/news/2024/08/6697471.jpg)
Coronation Street have been forced to rewrite Helen Worth's exit scenes - as Sean Wilson who plays Martin Platt sensationally quit the ITV soap, which airs on Virgin Media in Ireland.
Sean, who first appeared in the show in 1985, was due to reprise his role later this year as part of Gail Platt's final storyline this Christmas, when Helen steps down from the ITV soap after five decades on the Cobbles. Martin was originally due to return to help bid farewell to Gail, but that will now not be the case and soap bosses have reportedly rushed to rewrite the exit storyline.
Coronation Street have now confirmed Sean will not appear as Martin in the soap later in the year. In a statement, a spokesperson for Coronation Street told The Mirror : "Sean Wilson has stepped down from filming for personal reasons."
It has been claimed that Helen is gutted that Sean won't be part of her exit storyline, with a source claiming: "It has come as a complete and utter shock to everyone - and his sudden exit has rocked everyone involved with Corrie.
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"Sean was loving his time on the show, and he was very popular on set. He had filmed scenes with loads of the cast, but then suddenly he was summoned to head office, and later it filtered out he wouldn’t be returning or his scenes airing, but no explanation offered."
![Sean was returning as part of Gail's exit storyline](https://i2-prod.irishmirror.ie/incoming/article33482855.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/2_Coronation-Street-1991.jpg)
The insider added to The Sun: "Clearly it’s a major blow for bosses who must now find a new magical and happy ending for Helen - but they are confident they’ll pull it out of the bag, and give viewers something wonderful."
Martin was introduced to the soap when he was just 16, played by 20-year-old Sean. After completing his Confectionary course at Salford Technical College, he worked part time in Jim's Cafe, where he met Jenny Bradley. Schoolgirl Jenny was initially upset when Martin rejected her, so he finally agreed to take her out. They borrowed Jenny's legal guardian Rita's car, but disaster struck when she convinced young Martin to let her drive on a country road, before overturning the car.
![Martin seen with Gail in 2000](https://i2-prod.irishmirror.ie/incoming/article33483260.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/1_CORONATION-STREET-ITV.jpg)
They didn't last, with Martin going on to have a colourful love life with many characters, including Gina Seddon - Sally Webster's sister. Martin worked at a petrol station before becoming a porter at Weatherfield General Hospital.
Then, in 1989, he started a relationship with Gail Tilsley, after her husband Brian was murdered and Martin was a shoulder to cry on. She fell pregnant in 1990, but after a last-minute dash for an abortion, she kept the baby, and their son David Platt was born on Christmas Day in 1990. The couple married in 1991, before Martin decided to train as a nurse. While doing his training, he met student Carmel Finnan, who went on to claim they were having an affair. Although he managed to dodge the bullet, he did go on to betray Gail with a different woman, when he slept with nurse Cathy Power on a works do at Christmas 1994.
![Sean Wilson as character Martin Platt.](https://i2-prod.irishmirror.ie/incoming/article33483259.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/1_Actors-Sean-Wilson-and-Sally-Ann-Matthews-pictured-together-in-a-1986-Coronation-Street-photoshoot.jpg)
Sean played Martin until 2005, leaving with yet another girlfriend, Robyn, much to the disappointment of his son David. He reprised his role occasionally, last appearing in 2018, but was set to return again for Gail's exit storyline.
No more details have been given about Sean's decision to leave the soap before his scenes air, but just a few weeks ago, Sean shared his excitement about making his return. He said: "It was great to be invited back to Coronation St 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. It’s just like slipping on an old and comfortable jumper from the back of the wardrobe."
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