CORONATION Street’s Sean Wilson today revealed his big soap comeback was ruined by a baseless historical sex claim.

Martin Platt actor, 59, was dramatically canceled after filming scenes with ex-wife Gail over the summer.

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He was cleared by police ten days ago but said: “My whole world came crashing down.”

A devastated Sean tells today how his life was destroyed in just eight minutes.

It was said that he would be dismissed until the hearing police An investigation was launched into an alleged indecent assault in 1997 and details were kept in the dark.

It sounds like this…

ITV This summer, he announced he was leaving for personal reasons, surprising the cast, crew and fans.

Police exonerated last week Sean and said that no further action would be taken following the claim of a woman with ties to the soap.

He talked about his ordeal for the first time Sean He told The Sun on Sunday: “In just eight minutes my reputation was destroyed; my whole world was destroyed.

“I had no idea who made this complaint or anything related to it but I lost my job. It was like hell. I was low the whole way.

In July, The Sun exclusively revealed Sean was returning for a blockbuster after 19 years Christmas The story of breaking up with Gail (Helen Worth).

Sean got the call in February and was excited to sign a four-month, ten-episode contract.

He said: “I jumped at the opportunity to reprise the role of Martin.

“Helen and I have come a long way, and I wanted to be the person she left with – and I think the audience did too.”

But after shooting ten scenes in two weeks in July, he received an email from bosses on August 1.

Sean added: “I was having a great time on set.

“It was like going back years until I suddenly received an email that truly blew me away.”

The email said: “I am writing to request a meeting with you at the Coronation Street studios.

“This is to discuss a historical allegation of a sexual nature that has been made about you in the last few days, relating to the period during which you were previously contracted with the programme. We realize this will come out of nowhere for you, as it did for us.”

Sean went to the studios and contacted Carol Hammond, his partner of five years, and agent Katherine Stonehouse, who attended the meeting via Zoom call.

He explained: “I was so confused. I didn’t have time to prepare.

“It happened ten minutes after I answered them.

“Suddenly I was confronted by three managers who said they had received an allegation that I had put my hands up a woman’s skirt.

“They also said the police had contacted them and told them they had referred the case to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

“I was in a daze. They said they had to cut the contract and keep the cast.

“I told them I knew there was no such thing and I deserved the chance to convince them. But when it became a matter for the police, they said they couldn’t do anything.”

Sean made his Corrie debut as nurse Martin in 1985.

Suddenly, I was confronted by three managers who said they had received an allegation that I put my hands up a woman’s skirt.

Sean Wilson

His character married Gail in 1991 and they had their son David. During the show’s heyday, the family’s stories were watched by 21 million people.

Sean, who left in 2005, insists his behavior on and off set was always exemplary.

He added: “I told the bosses I was a professional. I was there for 21 years and no charges were ever brought against me. I was not told this person’s name and was only told that this occurred sometime in 1997 and that the person worked in connection with the show. All I could think was that this didn’t make sense.

“I was in complete shock. After a brilliant 21-year career, I was being walked out the door.

“We have asked ITV to give us details of the police officer who contacted them so we can initiate an informal voluntary conversation.

“But they said they couldn’t give us that information and we had to wait for the police to call us.

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“Two weeks went by and no one got in touch.”

In desperation, Sean hired two lawyers to track down the police officer handling the complaint and find out whether he was under investigation.

He also hired a media lawyer after his departure, which led to intense speculation about what happened.

He added: “There was no way to clear my name and save my reputation.

“ITV has issued a statement saying I am leaving for personal reasons and that I cannot speak publicly about what the real reasons are.

“My career was in the balance and the police had not provided any information.

There was no way to clear my name and save my reputation

Sean Wilson

“I told the lawyers to call police stations in Manchester.

“After weeks of trying, we finally got a newly assigned officer on the case.”

On 25 October Sean attended a voluntary meeting with a police officer at Longsight police station.

He said: “The detective said there were no eyewitnesses and the person complaining didn’t tell anyone about it and they couldn’t say when it happened in 1997.

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“I was also shocked to hear that the claim was completely different to what ITV had said.

“The police once said it wasn’t about touching a woman’s skirt, but about touching the back of a person’s jeans.

“The police also said they had never contacted ITV and the matter could not be escalated to the CPS as they had not even passed the case on to an officer at that point. They also told me the name of the person I did not know.

“Hundreds of people you’ve never met work on Coronation Street and he was one of them. “They don’t work there anymore.”

Sean was “incredibly relieved” when police told him on November 21 that no further action would be taken.

She admitted to being visibly upset during our conversation: “The last few months have taken their toll on me as I have nothing to go on.

“When I got that call, I cried for the first time in four months. I released all my repressed emotions. What got me out of this situation was knowing the truth. Sometimes I found myself sitting in the garden and staring into space for a while.

“I better get my head together because I didn’t want to sink. “I felt like I was under water the whole time, but I didn’t want to get depressed.”

The last few months have been very painful as I have nothing to go on. When I got that call it was the first time I cried in four months

Sean Wilson

Sean struggled to explain what happened to his son Callum, 26, and daughter Maisie, 24, but was planning to sit down with them after speaking to this newspaper.

He said: “How do you explain to your children that you have been wrongly accused of this? But they should be okay with that, right? Because their father is innocent.”

And it’s not just emotionally that Sean is torn. Profitable loser loses four months’ earnings Coronation Street signed a contract and had to pay thousands of dollars to lawyers.

He added: “This has cost me a lot. Lawyers are expensive and I needed to hire them to protect me.

“ITV paid me the contractual minimum amount of guaranteed episodes I was required to pay for the film, but I lost money on future balances such as episode replay fees.”

Sean also had a wider plan for a big return to showbiz, with the hope of panto roles, more television and a possible return to I’m a Celebrity.

He no longer knows if he will ever be marketable again.

Turning to Carol for support, Sean added: “It was going to be a nice new start for us. I was going to be in a flagship ITV show. There were two tweets before I came on the show. It was a very popular comeback and my manager and I were going to work on it.”

“I had plans for an autobiography. I am an avid writer and have written three cookbooks.

“I could have been earning thousands of pounds a week but instead I became persona non grata throughout this whole sad affair. My career is in shambles.”

I could have been earning thousands of pounds a week but instead I became persona non grata throughout this whole sad affair. My career is in shambles

Sean Wilson

Sean, who turned to cheesemaking after acting, said he was angry at the complainant and said ITV had “completely misunderstood the facts”.

He added: “It took weeks of my own investigative work to find that what ITV said was 180 degrees different from the complaint. But what can I do? I understand there needs to be a process but people need to understand that not everyone is guilty.”

“This whole thing was incredible. No matter who you are, wherever you work, you’re just a phone call away from ruin.”

Sean’s 21 years on Corrie saw him become a household name.

Gail and Martin’s ten-year union is considered the most successful of their six marriages.

He had a brief fling in 1993, but it ended when Martin had an affair with nurse Rebecca Hopkins in 2000.

Sean left the series in 2005 due to a controversial plot involving Martin seducing an underage girl. Sean later vowed to never work on Corrie again. However, he returned briefly in 2018 for a rape storyline involving David (Jack P Shepherd).

Sean was due back on our screens from October, culminating in the Christmas specials.

However, the ten scenes he shot ended up in the editing room.
Her story was replaced by one featuring one of Gail’s former loves, Jesse Chadwick (played by John Thomson).

Devastated, Sean admitted: “I couldn’t watch absolutely anything they used to replace my performances.

“Very difficult. I don’t know if I’ll ever go back.”

ITV declined to comment.

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