Coronation Street's Helen Worth's life off soap with cheating husband and huge salary

Coronation Street's Helen Worth, who has portrayed the iconic Gail Platt for 50 years, is preparing for her final scenes this Christmas. The 73-year-old actress first graced our screens in 1974 and has since become a staple of the ITV soap.

Over the years, Gail has had five husbands - four of whom have died - including a notorious serial killer who attempted to wipe out her entire family. This makes her the most married female character in soap history.

She also has three onscreen children, Nick, Sarah and David, and four grandchildren, Bethany, Harry, Max and Lily. However, off-screen, Helen's life is quite different.

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In reality, she doesn't have any children and has been married twice. As Gail prepares to walk down the aisle for a sixth time - this time with Jesse Chadwick, played by Cold Feet star John Thomson - in special Coronation Street episodes airing over the festive period, we delve into Helen's life away from the cameras.

Helen has been married twice. Her first husband was actor Michael Angelis, best known for narrating the Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends series, reports the Mirror.

They were together from the mid-70s and finally tied the knot in 1991.

In 2001, her marriage dissolved, and Helen found love again with Trevor Dawson, whom she encountered at a mutual friend's 90th birthday bash. Deputy headmaster Trevor, younger by seven years, famously remarked it was "love at first sight", having been an avid fan after watching Helen play Gail in Corrie.

Their relationship remained under wraps for over 12 months, ultimately culminating in nuptials at St James's Church in London in 2012, witnessed by Helen's Corrie colleagues. Post-ceremony, nearly 200 enthusiasts cheered the couple, to which Helen expressed gratitude: "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."

Even though Helen retained friendship with her first spouse, Michael, infidelity was the catalyst for their separation. Michael confessed to a past indiscretion in 1995, for which Helen absolved him.

Nonetheless, a subsequent affair of his with Welsh model spelt the end, leading to a second marriage for Michael.

In a candid interview with The Mirror back in 2001, Helen opened up about the emotional turmoil she experienced upon discovering her husband's affair. She confessed: "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."

She continued, detailing the moment of revelation: "When he told me, everything just went black. Things started to make sense. Maybe I realised right away that something like that had been bound to happen. Things hadn't been right for some time, but - naively maybe - I didn't think it was serious. I knew there was a problem. I just didn't know it was me."

Remarkably, Helen harboured no resentment towards her former spouse, maintaining a friendship and even catching up over lunch until his passing in 2020. Reflecting on the public's reaction to the affair, she stated: "He was called a love rat and a cheat. But he wasn't. That's not how it was, things are never that easy. He just met someone who made him happier than I could. It wasn't a crime. It was just desperately sad."

She added, acknowledging the pain they both endured: "I know now that Michael suffered as much as I did. He still loved me when he left. It tore him apart that he was hurting me. He would never willingly have caused me pain. He is the gentlest man I know."

The article also touched on her net worth and her discreet life in London.

Coronation Street stalwart Helen Worth, known for her role as Gail Platt, is one of the soap's top earners with a reported salary of £250,000 per annum. Despite not having a publicised net worth, Helen is recognised as one of television's highest-paid actors.

Contrary to living near the Manchester-based set of Corrie, she resides in London, owning a property there. Originally from Morecambe, Lancashire, Helen enjoys the vibrant lifestyle of the capital and commutes to film her scenes.

She has previously shared how she unwinds from her character's intense storylines, saying: "I come home and see friends and go to the theatre. Luckily I find it quite easy to switch off – I'd be a nervous wreck if I didn't."

Helen's accolades include the British Soap Award for Outstanding Achievement in 2014 and an MBE in 2022 for her contributions to drama. Despite her love for the show and describing it as 'the most wonderful job', Helen announced in June 2024 that she would be departing from the iconic street at the end of the year.

Not labelling it retirement, yet at 73 years old, she expressed that her 50-year anniversary on Coronation Street felt like 'the perfect time to leave'. Her statement read: "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. 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."

Fans will need to tune into Corrie over Christmas to catch Gail's final moments - will she go through with marrying Jesse? And could there be a dramatic showdown at the wedding reception?