Coronation Street’s Sean Wilson ‘summoned to go workplace’ earlier than exit

Coronation Street‘s Sean Wilson was ‘summoned to head office’ before leaving for ‘personal reasons’, according to reports. 

The actor, 59, who plays Martin Platt in the soap, was pictured posing with scripts just weeks ago, with his rep announcing this week he had quit for ‘personal reasons.’ 

Sean was set to reprise his role as Martin in October as part of his ex-wife Gail’s exit as actress Helen Worth, 73, prepares to retire from the cobbles. 

Now, none of his scenes will be aired, with Gail’s entire exit storyline now being frantically rewritten by bosses. 

As reported by The Sun, the actor was called in for a meeting with bosses and left with ‘no explanation offered’ to his co-stars. 

A source told the publication: ‘It has come as a complete and utter shock to everyone – and his ­sudden exit has rocked everyone involved with Corrie. Sean was loving his time on the show, and he was very popular on set. 

‘He had filmed scenes with loads of the cast, but then suddenly he was summoned to head office, and later it filtered out he wouldn’t be returning or his scenes airing, but no explanation offered.

‘Clearly it’s a major blow for bosses who must now find a new magical and happy ending for Helen – but they are confident they’ll pull it out of the bag, and give viewers something wonderful.’ 

An ITV spokesperson told MailOnline: ‘Sean Wilson has stepped down from filming for personal reasons.’ 

Sean’s agent told the publication: ‘Neither he nor I will be making any further comment or statement.’

Sean played Martin for 20 years from 1985 to 2005, before he and his family emigrated to New Zealand in 2018 and he paid one final visit to Weatherfield before his departure to make his peace with David, who was upset that his dad was leaving the country. 

Although the pair’s ten-year union ended when Sean’s character Martin had an affair, he is considered the most successful relationship in Gail’s previous five marriages.

In July, it was confirmed that Sean would be reprising his role as Martin Platt, as part of Gail’s exit after 50 years on the cobbles. 

As Sean picked up his first scripts to start shooting, he said: ‘It was great to be invited back to Coronation Street again, to contribute to Helen’s exit story.’ 

He added: ‘We’ll have a few months to catch up with Martin and Gail again, following the ebbs and flows of the unfolding storyline.

‘Playing Martin has been a joy since day one and in a way, I’ll be slipping back to where I left off, which no doubt will throw a spanner into the heart of the Platt family.

‘It’s just like slipping on an old and comfortable jumper from the back of the wardrobe… I’m looking forward to reuniting with my TV family.’  

However, this week a representative for the soap stated that the actor left ‘for personal reasons,’ and none of Sean’s scenes will be aired, with Gail’s entire exit storyline now being frantically rewritten by bosses.

As his puzzling departure remains a mystery, longtime fans will recall how at one time Sean said he’ll never set foot on the cobbles again, after quitting in 2005 over a storyline which involved his character Martin seducing an underage girl.

The soap star bitterly fell out with bosses at the time as he refused to be involved in the plot, with Sean branding them ‘rude’ as he stepped away from the show.

He told the Daily Star at the time: ‘I will act again – but never with Coronation Street.

‘They were very rude to me when I left. I would rather walk down any other street even if I had a nail in my shoe.’

The actor then went on to embark on a cheesemaking career, he launched a cheese business called Artisan Farm in 2009 before going on to write a number of recipe books. 

He briefly reprised his role in 2018 for a handful of episodes as part of the David Platt male rape storyline, with a source telling Daily Star at the time that producers ‘bent over backwards’ to lure him back.

They said: ‘They must have bent over backwards to convince him. Most stars leave quietly no matter how embittered they might feel about their exits. But Sean didn’t.

‘He pulled no punches about why he left and how he would never come back.’

However, in 2022 Sean once again insisted he will never return to Coronation Street as a cast member after falling in love with his new career as a cheesemaker.

Referring to the underage girl storyline, Sean said soap bosses insisted his character embark on the plot that would see Martin branded a ‘paedophile’ in 2005 even though it made him feel ‘deeply uncomfortable’. 

He told The Sun: ‘I didn’t want to do it and suggested they could bring in another actor, but the producer was insistent.

‘It wasn’t for me, so I told them, “No, I will not be doing that storyline and I suggest that maybe you go and have a rethink.”

‘They came back a couple of weeks later and said, ‘No, we do feel that this storyline is going to go ahead.”

As a result, Sean told bosses he would be leaving the serial and departed in 2005, though his character did have a relationship with 16-year-old Katy Harris (played by Lucy-Jo Hudson) before his exit.

Sean said it was then announced he’d been sacked, which he insisted was not the case.

Helen, who played his onscreen ex wife Gail, quit her role this year after starring on the cobbles for 50 years. 

ITV confirmed that she would start filming her exit story and the ’emotional’ scenes will be on screen at the end of the year. 

Sharing the news of her exit, Helen said: ‘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.’

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

‘I have been truly blessed to have been given the most incredible scripts week in week out, and to have worked with fantastic actors, directors and a brilliant crew.’

‘The past 50 years have flown by and I don’t think the fact that I am leaving has quite sunk in yet.’