Coronation Street is undergoing a significant storyline shift as actor John Thomson is set to return as Jesse Chadwick, replacing Sean Wilson's character Martin Platt, who exited abruptly due to personal reasons. Wilson was initially brought back to participate in the retirement storyline of Helen Worth's character, Gail Platt, but his sudden departure led to a frantic rewrite of the script. Thomson's character, who last appeared in 2010, is expected to rekindle a romance with Gail, creating tension with her rival Eileen Grimshaw, whom Jesse previously dated. The show's bosses aimed for a recognizable name to ease the transition, as they faced challenges crafting Gail's exit storyline given her complicated romantic history. Thomson's return is seen as a nostalgic callback for fans, potentially leaving the door open for future appearances by Gail. The show has yet to comment officially on the changes or Wilson's departure.