Coronation Street‘s Sean Wilson claimed the soap no longer had ‘great acting or writing’, ahead of his now axed comeback.
The actor, 59, was set to reprise his role as Martin Platt in October as part of his ex-wife Gail’s exit as actress Helen Worth, 73, prepares to retire from the cobbles.
But reports suggest he suddenly departed the show after being ‘summoned to head office’ before quitting for ‘personal reasons’ forcing Gail’s entire exit storyline to be frantically rewritten.
Earlier this year, Sean said soap storylines were now ‘issue-centric’ and trying and failing to solve world issues, in comparison to his own time on the show, between 1985 and 2005, when audiences watched in their droves and were left both ‘laughing and crying’.
Telling The Daily Star: ‘I think the world of soaps is a different vehicle nowadays. I think I was part of the British soap industry at the best time, the halcyon years when there were 18 or 21 million people watching it’
Coronation Street ‘s Sean Wilson, 59, claimed the soap no longer had ‘great acting or writing’ ahead of his now axed comeback
The actor was set to reprise his role as Martin Platt in October as part of his ex-wife Gail’s exit as actress Helen Worth, 73, prepares to retire from the cobbles (pictured on the show)
‘You could walk down the street on a Wednesday or a Friday and you could hear people laughing with their windows open because of the great writing and the great acting was really speaking to the nation. I don’t think it does that so much nowadays’.
He continued: ‘People don’t have to watch it anymore. They were all segwayed together; you were five minutes from laughing and five minutes from crying. Nowadays it seems very much issue-centric, they’re trying to solve the world’s issues, which they’re not going to do.’
As reported by The Sun, Sean 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.’
Earlier this year Sean claimed soap storylines were now ‘issue-centric’ and trying and failing to solve world issues, in comparison to his own time on the show (pictured on the show in 2003)
He recalled a rime audiences watched in their droves and were left both ‘laughing and crying’ (Pictured with co-star Helen Worth and Tina O’Brien)
According to reports Sean was called in for a meeting with bosses and left with ‘no explanation offered’ to his co-stars (pictured with scripts earlier this year)
Sean played Martin for 20 years 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, 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.
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.
Helen, who played his onscreen ex wife Gail, quit her role this year after starring on the cobbles for 50 years (pictured in 2019)
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.
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.