Martin Platt
Martin Platt emigrating to New Zealand. David bemoaning his father’s past actions. Listing off Gail’s husbands, including Martin, by almost everyone. Lots of talk of Martin in the past couple of weeks. But don’t expect to actually see him, I told myself. Still, it’s going to be a let down when, once again, we hear ‘oh your father can’t make it’ or whatever.
The excuses for not seeing Martin Platt have been many over the years since he moved to Liverpool in 2005. You’d think Liverpool was as far away as New Zealand, not an hour away, given the difficulty Martin has had in ever coming back to his old neighbourhood.
So what a thrill when Wednesday’s episode opened and there he was. Martin, in his bathrobe. I replayed it several times, to inspect him and his house. And then he appeared in the next two episodes; in Weatherfield, on Coronation Street, in the Rovers and in his former house. And it was a complete surprise to me, I’m happy to say. No “as we all know…” spoilers this time!
Sean Wilson
Big news as Martin’s return is, the bigger story is his portrayer Sean Wilson coming back. Mr. Wilson left the show in 2005, after a story that he didn’t like and neither did most viewers. Martin had an affair with sixteen-year-old schoolgirl Katy Harris. He was twice her age.
The story didn’t end well. Katy killed herself after killing her father. Her dad, Tommy Harris, was played by Thomas Craig. He later turned up in Canada, a century or so earlier. Thomas Craig plays Inspector Brackenreid in CBC’s Murdoch Mysteries.
Sean Wilson became a chef and cheese maker after leaving Coronation Street. He continued acting, but said of the show on which he spent 20 years: “I would rather walk down any other street even if I had a nail in my shoe” (The Sun). But it appears he and Coronation Street have made up. I, for one, am very glad. It was just wonderful to see him again.
And his jacket? This brown leather jacket looks so familiar. Googling it didn’t give me any answers. But I swear I’ve seen it before, on Martin or someone.
It’s also nice that New Zealand is getting a proper shout out. Land of Lorde, lamb and Lord of the Rings.
