Sean Wilson returns to ‘normal job’ after unfounded sex claim ruined his Coronation Street comeback

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As a seasoned observer of human drama and intrigue, I find myself deeply moved by the heartrending tale of Sean Wilson, a man whose life has been turned upside down by an unsubstantiated allegation that threatens to shatter his career and personal life.

After the unfortunate turn of events with my much-anticipated soap return, I find myself back to my day-to-day life, trying to regain some sense of normalcy amidst the whirlwind that’s swept me off my feet. The past few weeks have been a rollercoaster ride, and I can’t help but miss the buzz of being on set and playing the character I love so dearly.

59-year-old actor from Coronation Street, a popular ITV soap, is primarily recognized for portraying Martin Platt from 1985 to 2005, with a short return in 2018.

In July, news broke out that Sean, who had been away for 19 years, would be coming back to the street sets. His comeback is tied to a plot line where he interacts with his ex-on-screen spouse, Gail, portrayed by Helen Worth.

His eagerly awaited return was postponed due to an unsubstantiated claim of indecent assault from 27 years ago, as ITV gave ‘personal reasons’ for his departure.

While taking a break from acting on soap operas, Sean embarked upon a new venture – cheese-making. This endeavor has earned him recognition with awards at the British Cheese Awards, and he now teaches others about cheese as a lecturer.

Taking to X, formerly Twitter, he shared some Christmas cheese recommendations for fans.

Sharing a selfie with some aged cheddar in a supermarket, he wrote: “@Sainsburys and @Tesco are both stocking top-quality British cheddar from Wyke Farms Vintage.

‘Completely sustainable and more awards for taste than any other cheddar.

‘These will be my cheddar choice for my awesome Xmas cheese board.

‘Let me know how you get on with it.. S xx.’ 

Sean established a cheese-making venture named Saddleworth Cheese Company, which he co-founded with his former partner, Susie Fenwick.

He was intended to postpone other tasks for the sake of his return to Coronation Street, as he had already agreed to a four-month contract for ten episodes.

However, only two weeks into the filming process, Sean received an email from his superiors on August 1, asking for a meeting at the Coronation Street studios.

The email partly read: ‘This is to discuss a historical allegation of a sexual nature which has been made about you in the past few days relating to when you were previously under contract to the programme. We will realise this will come out of the blue for you as it has for us.’

Sean headed off to the studios for a scheduled gathering, promptly phoning up his long-time companion Carol Hammond and agent Katherine Stonehouse, who connected remotely through Zoom.

The actor reported hearing from three individuals who claimed they’d been informed of an accusation against Sean. This accusation alleges that he inappropriately placed his hand up a woman’s skirt. Additionally, it was mentioned that the police had also reached out and indicated they had forwarded the case to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

Sean wasn’t given the identity of the individual who made the accusation; instead, he was informed that the incident occurred in the year 1997, and the person involved was associated with the program.

He brought on board two legal representatives, one for tracing the police officer handling the complaint to ascertain if an investigation was ongoing, and another for managing the rumors circulating about his exit from the television program.

Sean mentioned that he participated in an optional gathering with a police constable on October 25, and was taken aback when informed that the accusation against him was that he had inappropriately touched someone’s lower back area, while they were wearing jeans; this differs from what ITV had conveyed to him.

He said the police told him they never contacted ITV and it couldn’t have been passed to the CPS because an officer hadn’t even been assigned to the case at that point.

Additionally, they revealed the identity of the individual he was alleged to have assaulted, yet he failed to recognize them, instead asserting that countless individuals had worked on the set of Coronation Street.

On November 21st, Sean felt a great sense of relief when the police informed him that no more actions were required, causing him to shed tears during the conversation.

In a conversation with The Sun, he expressed: “In the span of merely eight minutes, my reputation crumbled – shattering my entire universe.

Without knowing who filed the complaint or any details about it, I unfortunately lost my job. It’s been a living nightmare, as I’ve felt low and down ever since.

The performer discussed the aftermath of the accusation, explaining that it was difficult for him to share this news with his kids, aged 26 (Callum) and 24 (Maisie), and additionally, seeking legal representation incurred significant financial expenses.

Sean expresses concern that the accusation might harm his profession, as he had aspired for his Coronation Street reappearance to open doors for a broader entertainment revival, possibly including roles in pantomimes or even a stint on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!.

He now feels he is ‘persona non grata’ and described his career as being ‘in tatters’.

The actor was angry about the complaint and also said ITV got their facts about it wrong.

Initially, Sean was expected to make his screen comeback in October, however, all the footage from the ten scenes he shot were removed. Instead, a new plotline for Gail, involving her former partner Jesse Chadwick (played by John Thomson), was introduced.

TopMob has contacted ITV representatives for comment.

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2024-12-06 03:59