SEAN Wilson fought back tears after being cleared of an unfounded historical sex
claim which destroyed his Coronation Street comeback.
Sean, 59, was dramatically axed from the ITV soap in the summer, after agreeing to
return as Martin Platt to be part of Gail Platt’s exit storyline.
Now the actor has revealed to The Sun on Sunday how he was told by Coronation Street bosses he was being axed pending a police inquiry into an alleged indecent assault from 1997 — and left in the dark on the details.
Sean told how his life fell apart in just eight minutes, before he was cleared by police ten days ago.
Speaking about the toll the situation took on him, an emotional Sean said: “I’ve tried…I’ve tried for it not to affect me.
“But when I heard that…last week, that it had been no further actioned, there was quite a few hours afterwards where you could feel it just dissipating.
“So clearly…it was there.”
Sean had got the call in February and was excited to agree a four-month, ten-episode contract.
He said: “I jumped at the chance to reprise my role as Martin.
“Helen and I go back a long way and I wanted to be the person that she left with — and I think the viewers did as well.”
Sean Wilson opens up about financial hardship after being forced to fork out thousands for lawyers to defend historic sex claim
But after filming ten scenes in two weeks during July, he got an email from bosses on August 1.
Sean went to the studios immediately and contacted his partner of five years Carol Hammond plus agent Katherine Stonehouse who joined the meeting via a Zoom call.
He explained: “I was so confused. I had no time to prepare.
“It took place ten minutes after I responded to them.
The past few months have taken their toll as I had nothing to go on.
“I was suddenly confronted with three executives who said they had received an allegation that I had put my hands up a woman’s skirt.
“They also said police had contacted them and told them they had referred the case to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
“I was in bewilderment. They said they had to cut the contract and protect their cast.
“I told them I knew it hadn’t happened and I deserved a chance to convince them. But they said once it had become a police matter they couldn’t do anything.”
Sean was “relieved beyond belief” when on November 21 police said there would be no further action.
Coronation Street’s 2024 shock exits
Corrie has said goodbye to several cast members this year. Let’s break down who’s left the famous soap:
Eliza Woodrow (Savannah Kunyo) has said farewell to Corrie to start a new life in Germany.
The youngster moved to live with her dad Dom Everett, who went back on the £10,000 bribe Eliza’s grandfather Stu had offered to keep him out of her life.
Paul Foreman (Peter Ash) will bow out of the soap this summer when he loses his fight with motor neurone disease (MND) in tragic scenes.
After being diagnosed last year, the fan favourite was devastated to learn he only had months left to live.
Viewers know he is planning to take his own life to end his suffering.
Summer Spellman (Harriet Bibby) departed the cobbles after being offered the opportunity of a lifetime to study in America.
Though she struggled to decide with her stepdad Paul’s impending death from MND, she was convinced she had to live her life to the full.
Simon Barlow (Alex Bain) has struggled with the sudden departure of his father Peter from the cobbles.
The Weatherfield legend left his family and loved ones behind on Boxing Day, 2023, when his wife Carla Connor encouraged him to travel around the world with a friend.
Simon’s been on a downward spiral ever since and his exit could end in tragedy.
Alya Nazir is set to leave the cobbles as actress Sair Khan prepares to go on maternity leave ahead of the birth of her first child.
It looks likely she’ll be heading to Dublin after securing a lucrative new job, leaving her colleague and fling Adam Barlow behind.
Show stalwart Sue Cleaver, who plays Eileen Grimshaw, is taking a break to star in the Sister Act The Musical UK tour. She will be back filming in May once her dates on the tour come to an end.
Her character left the Street after her son Jason broke his back after falling off a moped in Asia.
During the conversation with The Sun on Sunday, he became visibly upset when he admitted: “The past few months have taken their toll as I had nothing to go on.
“When I got that call that was the first time I cried in four months. I just let out all the pent-up emotions.
“What got me through it was knowing the truth. There were times I’d find myself sitting in the garden just staring out at nothing for a while.
“I would think I’d better get my head together because I didn’t want to sink.
“The entire time I felt submerged in water but I didn’t want to sink into depression.”
ITV declined to comment.
