10 True Facts About… Helen Worth (Corrie’s Gail)
lnside soap YOUR BRIEFING ON THE WOMAN BEHIND THE STREET’S GAIL…
1 Helen’s real name is Cathryn Helen Wigglesworth!
She was born on 7 January 1951 in West Yorkshire, but grew up in the seaside town of Morecambe with her older brother Neville. When Helen was eight, her parents fostered Ghanaian-born Wilson Kpikpitse, who lived with the family until her mum Gladys’ death in 1971.
2 One of Helen’s first jobs was as an urchin in the film Oliver!. She also appeared in another classic musical, this time on the West End stage, when at the age of 12 she starred as one of the von Trapp children in The Sound Of Music. “I remember getting out of bed at midnight with my mum to go to the auditions,” laughs Helen.
3 At the age of 22, Helen joined Corrie as Gail Potter.
Since arriving on the cobbles, Gail has been married six times – twice to Brian Tilsley, plus toy boy Martin Platt, killer Richard Hillman, cash-strapped Joe Mcintyre and, most recently, Michael Rodwell. Gail’s gone from carefree girl about town to stressed grandma. In 2000 she was put at the heart of a huge story when daughter Sarah – who had just turned 13 – fell pregnant. “It was one of the first times the Street tackled a taboo,” says Helen. “We worked together so closely on all those scenes.
I think of Tina [O’brien, aka Sarah] as my little girl, really.”
4 Helen tied the knot with teacher, Trevor Dawson in 2013. “It’s been the most fantastic day, it exceeded all expectations,” said Helen at the time. The star was previously wed to actor Michael Angelis – now best known as the narrator of kids’ TV show Thomas & Friends – in 1991, but the pair divorced in 2001.
5 Tina isn’t the only one of Helen’s screen kids she treats as if they’re her own, as Jack P Shepherd (David) reveals…
“In the early years, I used to come in with little quips every now and again that weren’t in the script,” he says. “And Helen would smack me on the back of the head! You couldn’t get away with it now!”
6 While many Corrie divas had fearsome reputations in the 70s and 80s, Helen struck up a great friendship with Pat Phoenix, who played her landlady Elsie Tanner (below with Cheryl Murray, aka Suzie Birchall). “Pat was wonderful – every morning she would come in and fry up bacon and eggs for the crew. The place could have gone up at any time, but she loved it.”
7 The star had a role in another iconic TV show – Doctor Who. She played Mary Ashe in the serial Colony In Space in 1971. “I wore a lovely costume,” beams Helen. “It was a sack for a skirt with a very tight belt, and I liked it. I think I get more fan mail about Doctor Who than I do for Coronation Street!”
8 Helen is also known for her extensive charity work. She is a patron of the Born Free Foundation – and in 2006, the actress went to the House of Commons to speak about the changes to the Animal Welfare Bill. Helen is also a supporter of Actionaid and has travelled to Sierra Leone to assist its projects.
9 Due to her long service to the acting world, Helen has friends in high places. She knows Dynasty star Joan Collins, and was a guest at her wedding to Percy Gibson in 2002, while Elaine Paige was a guest at Helen’s wedding in 2013.
10 Helen is one of a select group of soap stars to have received Inside Soap’s greatest honour, the Outstanding Achievement Award.
“I remember somebody saying to me, ‘If you want to be the best, surround yourself with the best’,” she said of her Corrie role. “And that’s what I’ve done!”