CORRIE star Sean Wilson was axed two weeks ago but it was kept top secret — and it has now emerged lawyers are involved.
The popular actor’s shock departure was shrouded further in mystery yesterday after The Sun first broke the news.
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We revealed on Saturday how Sean, 59 — who was returning as Martin Platt for his ex Gail’s huge exit storyline – had been chopped.
A source said yesterday: “Sean’s actually been gone for a while. It all happened more than two weeks ago, but a lot of people around the set didn’t know.
“The Sun’s story was the first many knew about it so it’s been quite a shock and now a big talking point – even among current and past cast members.
“Whatever it is, there are lawyers involved because the very senior bosses at Coronation Street are not allowed to discuss it.”
Cast and crew were left mystified after Sean was summoned to ITV’s offices and never returned to set.
‘Huge shock to everybody’
Bosses have since said only that he has “stepped down for personal reasons”.
All his scenes with actress Helen Worth, 73, who is leaving as Gail after 50 years, will now be rewritten.
A source told The Sun on Sunday: “Never before has a departure been so sudden or secretive.
“He went to the boss’s office and didn’t return. It has been a huge shock to everybody.
“And it is so sad after all these years that he isn’t going to be in Helen’s final scenes — it is something that she really wanted to happen.
“The writers spent months putting it together so it’d be a blockbuster ending. There’ll now be new scenes but nobody knows what they are.”
Sean first appeared as Martin in Corrie in 1985, with his character having a son, David, with Gail.
But he angrily left 20 years later over a plot which involved his character seducing an underage girl.
He said at the time: “I will act again – but never with Coronation Street. They were very rude to me when I left.”
Sean then embarked on a cheesemaking career, launching his own company and writing recipe books.
Despite his previous vows, he did briefly return as Martin in 2018 as part of the David Platt male rape plot.
Sean then came back again last month for actress Helen’s big farewell and had already filmed several scenes.
A Corrie spokeswoman said: “Sean Wilson has stepped down from filming for personal reasons.”
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