Crisis-hit Sean Wilson has whisked his lover away on holiday to get away from the stress of his abrupt sacking of his Coronation Street comeback.
MailOnline revealed yesterday how the actor – who plays Martin Platt – was called into a meeting with ITV producers – and told they would no longer be using him and pulled the plug on the remaining production plans.
A source close to the set said that the 59-year-old was abruptly kicked off the show after a concern was raised to bosses.
Now MailOnline can reveal how the actor – who started a successful cheese-making business after leaving the Street – has gone on holiday with his long-term girlfriend, Carol Hammond.
A neighbour where the couple live in Leicester, said: ‘They have gone away. It’s been a tough few weeks for Sean with all the speculation around Corrie, so I’m sure the break will do him good.’
Crisis-hit Sean Wilson has whisked his lover away on holiday to get away from the stress of his abrupt sacking of his Coronation Street comeback
Sean began a relationship with Carol just before the pandemic hit in 2020, with both sharing loved-up snaps together on social media.
Before that Sean dated actress Susie Fenwick.
Their romance began after his 16-year marriage to his wife Gaynor ended in 2013.
Yet MailOnline can reveal over the past four years, Sean has been in a relationship with Carol – with both parties openly sharing photos cuddled up together on social media.
While they have kept their relationship out of the public eye, Carol has accompanied Sean to cheese fairs, where has sold his award-winning dairy products.
One picture shows them holding hands looking into the camera, while another photo shows the pair beaming wearing sunglasses while on a sunny beach.
The pair are now thought to be on a summer holiday following the Coronation Street fallout.
Sean, who played Martin Platt for two decades, had begun filming episodes for the ITV series, which would see his character reunited with his ex-wife Gail, before sailing off into the sunset together.
MailOnline revealed yesterday how the actor was called into a meeting with ITV producers – and told they would no longer be using him and pulled the plug on the remaining plans
MailOnline can reveal how the actor – who started a successful cheese-making business after leaving the Street – has gone on holiday with his long-term girlfriend, Carol Hammond
Sean began a relationship with Carol just before the pandemic hit in 2020, with both sharing loved-up snaps together on social media
Yet, after an unexplained concern was raised with bosses about the star, he was abruptly axed from the show, with producers scrambling to re-write episodes set to air in October.
Corrie’s bosses have failed to divulge details about his exit, only citing ‘personal reasons’ while the actor’s representatives have refused to comment or offer explanation for the sudden change.
It marks just another hurdle in Sean’s chequered past with long-running television series set on the cobbled streets of Greater Manchester.
He sensationally quit Coronation Street back in 2005 when he was told by producers how his character was going to seduce an underage girl.
It was intended as a controversial Christmas storyline that would have seen the family man nurse branded a paedophile.
At the time, Sean said: ‘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.’
‘Then they decided to unilaterally tell the country that I was sacked, which wasn’t the case, and it was frustrating.
‘I think with the individuals involved at the time, it wasn’t surprising that it entered the playground.’
Sean did make a brief return to the soap in 2018, which was a surprise; he swore when he left that he would 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.’
Corrie’s bosses have failed to divulge details about Sean’s exit, only citing ‘personal reasons’ while the actor’s representatives have refused to comment or offer explanation
By 2022, however, Sean was once again insisting that he would never return to Cornation Street as a cast member after falling in love with his new career as a cheesemaker.
And in February he slammed the soap for ‘trying to solve world issues’ rather than focusing on its former ‘great writing and great acting’.
He told the Daily Star: ‘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.’
By July, however, he had been persuaded to take part in the exit story line for Helen Worth’s character Gail Platt, after the actress announced she was stepping down after 50 years on the cobbles.
After he 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.’
Yet just a month later, the plans were in ruins with Sean reportedly being left with ‘no explanations’.
A source told The Sun: ‘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.’