Gail reveals a secret from the past in game-changing Coronation Street exit storyline

An old face steps back on to the cobbles of Coronation Street in upcoming episodes, when John Thomson’s character Jesse Chadwick returns to the show.

Obviously Eileen Grimshaw (Sue Cleaver) is taken aback at the sight of her former boyfriend, but it’s not Eileen that Jesse has come to see. It’s Gail Platt (Helen Worth).

Gail is astonished to see Jesse, too, but soon reveals to Eileen that she and Jesse met years ago in Thailand. Jesse says he’s checking up on Gail to see if she’s OK, and they head into number 8, doubtless leaving Eileen with her jaw on the floor.

The rest of the family are as baffled as Eileen is by Jesse’s sudden arrival, and mystified that he seems to know quite a lot about the family. He says he recognises Adam (Sam Robertson) from Sarah (Tina O’Brien)’s wedding pictures, for example.

Shona (Julia Goulding) suggests that David (Jack P Shepherd) and Sarah should sit Jesse down and try to find out what’s going on between him and Gail – and they’re set to be shocked by what they find out.

This storyline is building up to the exit of the legendary Helen Worth, who announced that she would be leaving the show after 50 years.

‘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,’ she said. ‘I made the decision at the start of the year and spoke to the producers who were very kind and understanding.’

Gail’s exit story was originally set to involve her reuniting with her former husband Martin Platt, but after Sean Wilson left the show after filming had started, the story was quickly redrafted and John Thomson was brought back.

Previously Jesse was in a relationship with Eileen, but ruined things by also making a play for her sister. John Thomson explained that his return to Coronation Street wasn’t to try to make amends with Eileen, but solely to see Gail.

‘I don’t think the new Jesse could possibly entertain that there would ever be anything with Eileen again because of his actions in the past. He met Gail in Thailand, he’s heard about Bethany (Lucy Fallon) and he’s very worried.

‘Jesse’s going to have to work really hard to get David and Sarah on his side and see he is just a friend who cares about Gail because there’s a real sense of mistrust about his motives.’

Are Sarah and David right to be suspicious?