Coronation Street viewers were left stunned after discovering the surprising age difference between actors Helen Worth, who plays Gail Platt, and John Thomson, known as Jesse Chadwick on the show.
Jesse first appeared in Weatherfield in December 2008 and became a fixture in 2009, notably romancing Eileen Grimshaw (Sue Cleaver). Jesse waved goodbye to the cobbles in 2010, but this week he made an unexpected return, coinciding with Gail Platt's departure storyline. Helen Worth is set to bid farewell to the soap after an impressive 50-year tenure.
In the episode aired on Wednesday (October 9), Jesse came back to reconnect with Gail.
Their backstory revealed a holiday fling in Thailand, and Jesse's visit was to ensure Gail was coping after her granddaughter Bethany's (Lucy Fallon) disastrous cosmetic surgery overseas.
Bethany's botched liposuction led to soaring medical costs, prompting Gail to take out a loan for Bethany's return from Turkey. Additionally, Gail is facing the need to sell her home to cover expenses, reports the Liverpool Echo.
But amidst the unfolding drama of Gail and Jesse's rekindled romance, fans are now buzzing about the actors' real-life age gap. A Corrie fan page on Facebook sparked the conversation with a member posting: "Just wondering what's the age difference between Jesse and Gail."
Fans were left utterly stunned after uncovering the age gap between soap characters Gail and Jesse, with one viewer posting: "In real life, Gail is 73. Jesse is 55. So 18 years difference."
The revelation sent shockwaves across social media; one fan exclaimed: "Wow I can't believe that."
While another echoed in disbelief: "No way is she 73." Someone else succinctly expressed their amazement by dropping a mind-blown emoji.
Discussing Jesse's anticipated comeback, actor John divulged: "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."
With a chuckle, John revealed the Platt family's mixed reception to Jesse: "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