A Coronation Street star whose highly anticipated comeback was suddenly axed when a historic assault allegation emerged has said his world has been “blown apart”.
Sean Wilson played nurse Martin Platt in the ITV soap for 21 years, and had been due to come back for a blockbuster Christmas storyline with his ex-screen wife Gail (Helen Worth) ahead of her own departure.
But the 59-year-old’s return was suddenly axed in the summer pending a police inquiry into an alleged indecent assault from 1997, the actor told The Sun on Sunday.
Wilson said his contract was terminated following a meeting he claims lasted only a few minutes, leaving him “confused” and “in total shock”.
My reputation was ruined in just eight minutes – my whole world blown apart. I had no idea who had made this complaint or anything about it but I lost my job
Speaking to the newspaper, the actor turned cheese-maker said: “My reputation was ruined in just eight minutes – my whole world blown apart.
“I had no idea who had made this complaint or anything about it but I lost my job.”
Police told the actor last week there would be no further action in connection with this case, The Sun reported.
Wilson added: “This whole entire thing has been unbelievable.
“No matter who you are, or where you work, you are just one call away from ruin.
“It is very difficult. I don’t know if I can ever go back.”
Wilson was invited in February this year to go back on the show for a Christmas special, and said he “jumped at the chance to reprise my role as Martin”.
But in July, and after filming 10 scenes in two weeks, he was asked to attend a meeting at the Coronation Street studios, during which executives informed him police were looking into “a historical allegation of a sexual nature” against him.
Mr Wilson said: “I was suddenly confronted with three executives who said they had received an allegation that I had put my hands up a woman’s skirt.
“They also said police had contacted them and told them they had referred the case to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).”
He added: “I was in bewilderment. They said they had to cut the contract and protect their cast.
“I’d been there 21 years and there had never been an allegation made against me.
“I wasn’t told the name of the person and told it only happened some time in 1997 and the person had worked in connection with the show.”
ITV subsequently put out a statement claiming Wilson was leaving for “personal reasons”.
On October 25, the actor attended a voluntary interview with a detective constable at Longsight police station in Greater Manchester, during which the force denied having contacted ITV about the complaint.
According to Wilson, the complaint had not been passed to the CPS either.
He said: “I was also shocked to hear the allegation was entirely different from what ITV had said.
“The police said it was a touch on the backside over the individual’s jeans, on one occasion, and not a hand up a woman’s skirt.”
Police eventually informed the actor on November 21 there would be no further action in relation to the complaint, causing him to feel “relieved beyond belief”.
Wilson further told The Sun he is angry at the complainant and that ITV “got their facts completely wrong”.
ITV declined to comment and the police and Crown Prosecution Service have been contacted for comment.