Coronation Street icon Helen Worth is returning as Gail Platt, one year after leaving the ITV soap.
Worth, 74, quit the series after 50 years in 2024, with her final scenes airing on Christmas Day.
But the actor will reprise her role for a one-off appearance in this year’s forthcoming festive episode.
According to The Sun, Worth has already filmed her cameo, which will see her reconnect with the Platt family for the first time since she moved to France.
“It’s a move which is guaranteed to thrill soap fans, who wondered whether we’d ever catch a glimpse of show favourite Gail on the cobbles again,” a source said.
However, the show’s bosses are allegedly keeping the episode’s exact details under wraps. The Independent has contacted ITV for comment.
After announcing her departure in 2024, Worth said: ”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.”
Prior to leaving, Worth had been close to overtaking veteran Bill Roache’s record as Ken Barlow for the most appearances. Gail has appeared in a total of 4,606 episodes, since 1974, while Roache, 92, has made a total of 4,918 appearances as Ken since Coronation Street’s pilot episode first aired on 9 December 1960.
Roache recently said he plans to star in Corrie until he is 100 years old.
Worth’s character Gail holds other records, including being the series’s most married female, having wed six times, one behind Steve McDonald (played by Simon Gregson). In 1999, she made her mark in one of the show’s most controversial stories when her 13-year-old daughter Sarah (played by Tina O’Brien) became pregnant.
Other narrative arcs include her proximity to a number of murders, including her marriage to serial killer Richard Hillman (played by Brian Capron). She was also imprisoned for the murder of her husband Joe McIntyre (Reece Dinsdale), and locked her son David in the cellar of a Bistro after discovering his plans to kill his late wife’s murderer.
Her many street brawls with frenemy Eileen Grimshaw (Sue Cleaver) have also gone down in soap history.
Last year, Worth was awarded an MBE for services to drama. Receiving the honour from Prince William, the actor said: “It just feels absolutely wonderful. To collect an MBE is very special.”
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