Coronation Street enthusiasts have been left astonished upon discovering the actual age difference between actors who portray Gail Platt and Jesse Chadwick.

Jesse, played by John Thomson, made his first appearance in Weatherfield in December 2008 and quickly became part of the regular cast in 2009. His most notable storyline was courting Coronation Street’s very own Eileen Grimshaw (played by Sue Cleaver).

After saying farewell to the Street in 2010, Jesse has now surprisingly re-emerged in the show, much to the bewilderment of Weatherfield’s inhabitants. His unexpected return forms a crucial part of Gail Platt’s (portrayed by Helen Worth) departure narrative.

Helen, a veteran character on the soap, is poised to exit this year after five decades. In the episode aired on October 9, it’s uncovered that Gail and Jesse had kindled a romance while in Thailand.

Corrie
Jesse made his return this week
(Image: ITV)

Jesse’s visit this time is spurred by a wish to see how Gail is doing after their shared but distant vacation fling, reports the Liverpool Echo. This plot twist emerged as viewers learned that Gail had financially stretched herself to bring granddaughter Bethany (Lucy Fallon) back from Turkey following a catastrophically failed liposuction procedure.

Confronted with exorbitant medical bills, Gail had resorted to taking loans and contemplating selling her house to cover the costs. Meanwhile, amidst the unfolding drama, viewers are especially intrigued by the off-screen age gap between Helen Worth and John Thomson.

Gail Platt and Jesse Chadwick in Coronation Street
Fans have only just realised the real-life age gap
(Image: ITV)

A query about the actors’ age difference popped up on a Corrie fan page on Facebook, with one member posting: “Just wondering what’s the age difference between Jesse and Gail.” Fans were quick to clarify the age difference in the comments, with one writing: “In real life, Gail is 73. Jesse is 55. So 18 years difference.”

The revelation sparked a flurry of surprised reactions, with another fan exclaiming: “Wow I can’t believe that.” A fellow viewer chimed in, saying: “No way is she 73.” Others simply responded with a mind-blown emoji.

Actor John Stamos discussed Jesse’s return, explaining: “Jesse met Gail in Thailand. He’s heard about Bethany and he’s very worried. So on his travels he’s returned via Weatherfield to check on Gail, because they’ve stayed in touch via email. He’s heard all about Bethany and he’s very concerned for Gail.”

When asked about the Platts’ reaction to Jesse, John chuckled, saying: “So two like him and two hate him! Shona and Nick are prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt, whereas David and Sarah are absolutely not it’s just total mistrust from the start.”

Coronation Street airs Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX