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Helen Worth (born Cathryn Helen Wigglesworth; 7 January 1951) is an English actress. She is best known for portraying the role of Gail Platt in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street for 50 years (1974–2024). In 2014, she received the British Soap Award for Outstanding Achievement.
Helen Worth | |
|---|---|
| Born | Cathryn Helen Wigglesworth 7 January 1951 |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1961–present |
| Known for | Role of Gail Platt in Coronation Street |
| Spouses | |
Cathryn Helen Wigglesworth was born to Alfred and Gladys Wigglesworth in Ossett and grew up in Morecambe, Lancashire. She was brought up in a middle-class family and attended private school.[2] Her mother was killed in a hit-and-run road accident while she was on a visit to Brighton.[3]
After graduating from drama school, Worth worked in repertory theatre, which included a year with the BBC Radio repertory company. She had uncredited bit-parts in the films Oliver! (1968) and The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969), and appeared on television in the Doctor Who serial Colony in Space (1971), The Doctors, Helen: A Woman of Today (1973), Within These Walls (1974) and The Carnforth Practice (1974).
Worth joined Coronation Street in 1974.[4] She initially stated that she did not plan to leave the series, and said she was happy with her character Gail's never-ending drama, and that it was a job she loved. In an interview with GMTV in January 2010, Worth said she loved Gail's storylines and praised the writers for giving her some strong plots over the years, which she hoped would continue.[5] On 9 June 2014, a one-off special about Worth, Gail & Me, aired on ITV. The 30-minute documentary celebrated Worth's 40 years as Gail.[4] In June 2024, ITV announced that Worth had decided to leave Coronation Street after 50 years, with Gail set to make her departure from the soap later in the year.[6] Following speculation regarding Gail's exit storyline, ITV bosses confirmed that she would have a "happy ending".[7]
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Worth has a house in London. She married actor Michael Angelis at Chelsea Register Office on 18 January 1991.[8] Worth forgave Angelis when he admitted to an affair in 1995, but they divorced in 2001 after he had another affair with model Jennifer Khalastchi.[9][10] Following this, it was mistakenly reported by The Sun newspaper that Worth was dating London restaurant owner Simon Hopkinson.[11] Worth married Trevor Dawson, a primary school teacher, on 6 April 2013 at the St James's Church in London.[12]
Charity work
Worth is a patron of the Born Free Foundation, an international wildlife charity working throughout the world to stop individual wild animal suffering and protect threatened species in the wild. She appeared on television fronting campaigns and joined them at the House of Commons in 2006, to speak about the proposed changes to the Animal Welfare Bill and campaign for the retirement of Anne, the UK's last remaining circus elephant.[13]
She is a supporter of the charity ActionAid and has visited Sierra Leone in support of its work there.[14]
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| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | Z-Cars | Maisie | Episode: "By the Book", credited as Helen Wiggleworth) |
| 1968 | Oliver! | Urchin | Uncredited |
| 1969 | The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie | Schoolgirl | Uncredited |
| 1969 | A Handful of Thieves | Rosie | Recurring role |
| 1970 | Confession | Cynthia | Episode: "Just as the Sun Was Rising" |
| 1970 | The Doctors | Elsie Gibbs | |
| 1971 | Doctor Who | Mary Ashe | Colony in Space |
| 1971–1972 | Time of Your Life | Pauline Jackson | Main role |
| 1972 | The Strauss Family | Elsa | Episode: "Schanni" |
| 1973 | Helen: A Woman of Today | Mandy | 2 episodes |
| 1974 | Within These Walls | Betty | Episode: "The Group" |
| 1974 | ITV Sunday Night Theatre | Susan Pitt | Episode: "No Harm Done" |
| 1974 | The Carnforth Practice | Ann Pollock | Episode: "Undue Influence" |
| 1974–2024 | Coronation Street | Gail Platt | Regular role; 4,454+ episodes |
| 1981 | Peter-No-Tail | Molly Silknose | Film |
| 2010 | East Street | Gail Platt |
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| Year | Association | Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Inside Soap Awards | Outstanding Achievement Award | Coronation Street role as Gail Platt | Won |
| 2014 | British Soap Awards | Outstanding Achievement Award | Coronation Street as Gail Platt | Won |
| 2019 | British Soap Awards | Scene of the Year | Coronation Street as Gail Platt | Won |
| 2019 | BAFTA TV Awards | Must-See Moment | Coronation Street as Gail Platt | Nominated |
Worth has been honoured twice with the Outstanding Achievement Award at awards ceremonies for her performance as Gail in Coronation Street. In September 2006, Worth won the "Outstanding Achievement Award" at the Inside Soap Awards. Then, on 25 May 2014, Worth won the "Outstanding Achievement Award" at 2014 British Soap Awards.[15] She also received the British Soap Award for Scene of the Year in 2019 for a monologue she performed, which was also nominated for a BAFTA TV Award.
Worth was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2022 Birthday Honours for services to drama.[16]
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