She has been a stalwart of the British soap scene for five decades, having gone through more drama than you could pack into ten lifetimes.

Now, however, the character of Coronation Street's Gail Platt (or Gail Rodwell, as she is now known) will soon bow out of the long-running soap after actress Helen Worth annnounced that she is to depart the cobbles.

Worth first began playing Gail in 1974 , at the age of 23 and has seen storylines including being wrongly jailed for murder, marrying a serial killer, being pushed down the stairs, being driven into a canal and more.

"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 in a statement. "I made the decision at the start of the year and spoke to the producers who were very kind and understanding."

It is believed that her character will be written out this year in a "major storyline" that will air at the end of the year.

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