After 50 years on Coronation Street, Gail Platt (Helen Worth) is set to bid farewell to Weatherfield in a storyline that has left fans both puzzled and disappointed. One of the show’s most iconic characters, Gail’s exit has been highly anticipated, but her final storyline has not been handled in a way many viewers expected or hoped for. With Gail’s absence from key moments in her own departure arc, fans have taken to social media to express their frustration, questioning why such a significant character has been sidelined. Some viewers have even remarked that at this point, the show could air her final episode without her, reflecting the growing discontent among long-time fans.

Gail’s exit was officially confirmed back in June, and viewers were eager to see how the soap would honor her legacy. However, as her final scenes begin to unfold, fans are noticing a glaring issue: Gail is barely featured. Many expected a grand, emotional sendoff for one of Coronation Street‘s most beloved characters, but instead, her storyline has taken a back seat to other plotlines and characters. This has led to widespread disappointment, with some fans suggesting that the show should have aired a special documentary to celebrate Gail’s time on the cobbles, such as the 40 Years of Gail special from 2014.

The official exit storyline involves Gail marrying Jess Chadwick (John Thompson), a character who was last seen over a decade ago. True to Plat family tradition, their wedding is anything but smooth, as complications arise both from Gail’s mother, Audrey (Sue Nicholls), who gives a shocking ultimatum, and Jess’s own hidden secrets. This unexpected drama around their wedding day adds intrigue, but it’s not enough to distract from the fact that Gail’s exit has been overshadowed.

Originally, Gail’s exit storyline was supposed to involve a reunion with her ex-husband, Martin Platt (Sean Wilson), but those plans were derailed when allegations of sexual assault were made against Wilson. Although the charges were later dropped, the damage was already done, and all pre-filmed scenes with Martin were scrapped, forcing the writers to quickly rework Gail’s exit. This last-minute change to the storyline has been another point of frustration for fans, who were hoping for a more structured and fitting farewell.

Compounding the chaos of Gail’s departure is the tangled web of secrets within the Platt family. Fans have watched as her son, David (Jack P. Shepherd), has dealt with his own moral dilemmas. Earlier this year, David discovered a stash of stolen money belonging to Damon Hay (Ciaran Griffiths), money that was originally meant to help Bethany Platt (Lucy Fallon) recover from botched surgery in Turkey. David intended to use this stolen money to buy the family home when Gail moved to the south of France with Jess. However, David’s plan is complicated by the fact that Jess is aware of his scheme, setting the stage for a dramatic confrontation when the truth comes out.

Many fans feel that Gail’s departure has been handled poorly, with some going so far as to say that after 50 years, her exit should have been the biggest storyline of the year. Instead, Gail’s storyline has become a secondary subplot, and fans feel that the writers have missed an opportunity to honor her legacy properly. For a character as iconic as Gail, this lack of attention has drawn comparisons to other long-running characters whose departures were treated with more care and fanfare.

Despite the criticism, there is one major twist awaiting fans: Gail’s murderous ex-husband, Richard Hillman (Brian Capron), is set to return, albeit in ghostly form. Known as one of the most infamous villains in Coronation Street history, Richard’s ghostly presence is bound to add an eerie layer to Gail’s final chapter. While the details of his return remain a mystery, fans are speculating that his ghostly appearance might be triggered by a moment of reflection for Gail as she prepares to leave Weatherfield, or it could somehow tie into the secrets and lies that have been slowly unraveling around her.

As Gail’s exit approaches, viewers are still hoping for a fitting and emotional sendoff for the character who has been at the heart of Coronation Street for so many years. Whether through her wedding to Jess, her interactions with her family, or the unexpected return of Richard Hillman, fans are eagerly awaiting to see how her story concludes. However, with so much disappointment over how the storyline has unfolded so far, it remains to be seen whether Gail’s final moments will live up to the legacy of her five-decade-long run on the show.