Coronation Street‘s Helen Worth has won a top award ahead of Gail Rodwell’s exit.
The RTS North West Awards were held last night (November 22) in Manchester, and the veteran actor was honoured with the prestigious Judges’ Award.
Jack P Shepherd, who plays Gail’s son David Platt, presented her with the prize on stage. “You’re a national treasure,” he said, adding that everyone on the set of the soap loves her.
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He shared a video of the moment to his Instagram, as well as a photo of the two of them together. “Delighted to present Helen with the RTS Judges award this year,” he wrote in the caption. “Standing ovation of course.”
Helen announced earlier this year that she would be exiting the soap after 50 years of playing Gail and she recently filmed her final scenes ahead of her departure.
Ben Price, who plays Gail’s other son Nick Tilsley, recently explained that he “knew” Helen was going to tell him she was leaving when he first saw she was calling, and he understood that she has “done her time”.
“Even before she got it out, I went, ‘It’s a great idea. Good. It’s the right thing to do,'” he said. “I think she was more nervous about ringing us than she was about leaving.
“You start to build a whole portion of the history of the Street only around Helen, and then she’s made it to this point and the Platts are a big family on the Street,” he added.
“And I think she was more concerned [about]: is it alright, are we in a good place, have I left it in a good place, are you going to be alright? A bit like a family, really.”
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Other soap winners at the RTS North West Awards included fellow Corrie star Peter Ash, who won the award for Performance In A Continuing Drama following his character Paul’s emotional MND storyline.
Hollyoaks was also recognised, with the soap winning Best Digital Creativity, and Isabelle Smith winning the award for Best Breakthrough Talent.
Coronation Street airs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm on ITV1 and streams on ITVX.
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