Jack P. Shepherd forced Coronation Street writers into last minute scene for Gail Platt send-off

Jack P. Shepherd forced ‘Coronation Street’ writers to pen a last-minute scene for Gail’ Platt's send-off following a heated negotiation.

The 36-year-old David Platt actor fumed at the ITV1 soap's bosses when he found out he was the only on-screen family member for Helen Worth's final moments after 50 years in the programme, and after he gave an expletive-laden demand for all of Gail's family to give her a send-off, including her other show children Sarah (Tina O'Brien) and Nick Tilsley (Ben Price).

Jack told New magazine: "Her last scene filming was with me and Julia [Goulding, who plays David's wife Shona] at the Platts'.

"And I said, 'No, the last scene she films has to be with all the Platts. I said, 'Well, f****** write one!'

"I told them, 'Just make sure we're all together at the Platts' when she finally goes.' And they did! Luckily, they were able to schedule it so we were all together, and every unit broke."

Helen filmed her final scenes in October ahead of her departure before the end of the year.

Jack added: "It was very emotional for the whole building. There were 500 people in the studio who came to say goodbye. I'd never seen that before."

While filming her final scenes, Jack struggled to hold back tears and even told the director he "couldn't do it".

He said: "Even in rehearsals, I couldn't do it because I knew I only had one take at it, and then there'd be tears, and there wouldn't be anything else left."

Helen, 73, wore a T-shirt covered in the names of her former 'Coronation Street' husbands - Brian Tilsley, Martin Platt, Richard Hillman, Joe McIntyre and Michael Rodwell - for her leaving do in Nick's Bistro on the cobbles, where Jack, Ben and Tina delivered a speech to pay an emotional tribute to her.

Jack admitted: "It made us all cry. It was lovely."