Former Coronation Street actor Sean Wilson has revealed the supportive reactions from his co-stars after being cleared of an unfounded historical sex claim that derailed his comeback to the ITV soap.
The actor, who played Martin Platt for 21 years, received comforting messages from his on-screen wife Helen Worth and fellow star Sally Dynevor following the ordeal.
Wilson had been filming scenes for a planned return to the cobbles when the allegation from 1997 emerged, leading to his contract being cut.
Wilson was contacted in February about returning to Coronation Street, signing a 10-episode contract for a Christmas storyline involving Gail Platt (played by Helen Worth).
After filming 10 scenes in July, he received an email on August 1 requesting a meeting at the Coronation Street studios.
During the meeting, Wilson says he was “confronted with three executives who said they had received an allegation that I had put my hands up a woman’s skirt.”
Sean Wilson admitted he recieved support from Sally Dynevor
PA
The executives told him they had to “cut the contract and protect their cast.”
Speaking to The Sun, Wilson revealed Worth’s supportive response, saying: “We both said we couldn’t see this coming from a million miles away, so she said, ‘I’m very sorry, this is the situation and forget everything’.
“Don’t even apologise to me, you’ve had a lot to go through’,” Worth told him when he attempted to apologise.
Wilson added: “I’ve heard lots from Sally (Dynevor) too. There have been lots of people – and fans too.”
Sean Wilson was meant to be returning to the soap to help with Gail Platt’s exit storyline
ITV
On November 21, police confirmed there would be no further action over the allegation, leaving Wilson “relieved beyond belief.”
However, the actor revealed he faced distressing harassment from social media trolls who compared him to Jimmy Savile and Huw Edwards.
“I’ve had to watch when we go out, that I don’t stand in the middle of a room, because someone can come at me from behind, some vigilante who just wants to take it out on me,” Wilson told The Sun.
He described feeling fearful for his safety as the situation became “very, very, very dangerous.”
Wilson revealed he “cried for the first time in four months” when police cleared him of the allegation.
The unfounded claim cost him not only his Coronation Street contract but also thousands in legal fees.
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Sean Wilson was also supported by Helen Worth during the allegations
PA
The 59-year-old father-of-two has yet to tell his children Callum, 26, and Maisie, 24, about the ordeal.
“How do you tell your children that you’ve been wrongly accused of this? But they’ll have to be okay about it, won’t they? Because their dad’s innocent,” he said.