In a smashing interview with the Mirror, Helen Worth says that she thought for sure that was it, she was being written out after being charged with murdering her new husband Joe. Gail will be arrested at Joe's funeral in a couple of weeks but it's not the last we'll see of Helen by a long chalk and she's quite happy about that. Ms. Worth doesn't give interviews too often so it's a treat to hear her talk about her upcoming storyline and the filming inside a real prison. Gail's roller coaster history is mentioned, to which Helen comments "Calm stories are not fun stories are they? It has never been boring." She also adds, "I’d be in a mental institution if my life was like Gail’s." Indeed. Helen commutes from London. She gets out and about and does a lot of work for charities, especially ones that help preserve animals like the Born Free foundation. One thing that I didn't know is that she auditioned for two other characters before she got the part of Gail Potter. They don't say who, though. Even then, it took three years for "Gail" to really catch on.
Helen has been in show business most of her life, including appearances on stage as one of the Von Trapp children in Sound of Music and a part in 1968's Oliver. I remember seeing her in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and in an early Doctor Who episode as well.
Gail's upcoming storyline, which will include the return of Tracy Barlow, will be a major front burning storyline on Coronation Street, and I, for one, am looking forward to it. Gail has always been one of my favourite characters.
Helen Worth has developed quite a few critics over the years and of late isn't garnering rave reviews. I think Gail has pretty much always been at the forefront of the show. Partly because of her on screen family. I like Helen Worth, don't get me wrong, but i am also looking forward to less of her character.
ReplyDeleteHelen is one of those old stalwarts that will never be written out. However, I think we viewers need a bit of a break from Gail now. Although Helen is a great actress, Gail is an extremely annoying character who we have had our fill of lately.
ReplyDeleteRemember she nearly got axed in 2001 and then the Hillman storyline came up. And with Gail being annoying, I think it's due the fact that's on screen too often. We tire of the same old characters - Gail, Michelle and Becky. You like characters more if they're on not so often like Emily, Betty, Audrey and Deirdre. They've got a big cast, so why use the same characters? Can I suggest a post on who bloggers would want to be axed? I'm sure it'll be interesting.
ReplyDeleteHelen Worth is a brilliant actress but it's Gail Platt I'm fed up with.
ReplyDeleteI like Gail, and am looking forward to seeing her prison scenes (just wish Tracey Barlow wasn't going to be in them). But the unlikely carry-on around and directly after Joe's death was just a bit too much to take. (by the way I'm already wondering who her next love interest's going to be - they must have someone lined up. My money's on a "toyboy" - horrors)
ReplyDeleteSince Gail's had nothing but trouble from men, and she's getting locked up in a women's prison, perhaps her next love interest will be a little more unexpected...? ;-)
ReplyDeleteBlimey, Merseytart!! not Tracey??
ReplyDeleteI like Gail but yes, I do get tired of her; more specifically, I get tired of David's endless shenanigans. It'd be nice if they gave her a story which *didn't* revolve around David, or him making her life a misery.
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