Soap star Helen Worth is set to make her final appearance on Coronation Street on Christmas Day, after more than 50 years.

Worth, 73, made her first appearance as Gail Platt on 29 July 1974 and has been at the heart of several major storylines over the years.

She said in June that her golden anniversary year “felt like the perfect time to leave the show”, having made the decision to quit at the start of the year.

“I have been truly blessed to have been given the most incredible scripts week in week out, and to have worked with fantastic actors, directors and a brilliant crew,” she said when her exit was announced.

“The past 50 years have flown by and I don’t think the fact that I am leaving has quite sunk in yet.”

Her storylines have included her turbulent relationships with her children Nick (Ben Price), Sarah (Tina O’Brien) and David (Jack P Shepherd) and mother Audrey (Sue Nicholls).

Gail has had five husbands over the years, with her exit storyline focused on whether she will make it down the aisle with a sixth in the form of Jesse Chadwick (John Thompson).

In the Christmas Eve episode, her serial killer former husband Richard Hillman (Brian Capron) returned from the dead after more than 20 years.

In the dream sequence, Hillman urged Gail not to go ahead with her wedding.

The storyline planned initially for Gail’s exit, which would have seen Sean Wilson reprise his role as Martin Platt, had to be re-written after the 59-year-old unexpectedly left the show for “personal reasons”.

The actor later claimed he was axed by soap bosses after a historic assault allegation emerged, which he denies.

He was later told that after a police investigation, no further action would be taken.

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At the time of Worth’s announcement, Coronation Street executive producer Iain MacLeod said she is a “legend” and “icon”.

“Gail has given us countless hours of entertainment but it should also be said that Helen herself is a consummate professional and a thoroughly good egg,” he said.

“Everyone connected to the show will miss having her around the place just as much as the viewers will miss having her on their screens and we wish her all the very best for the future.”

Gail’s final appearance on Coronation Street airs at 7pm on ITV 1 on Christmas Day.

Alec Baldwin will not appear again in court for involuntary manslaughter over a fatal shooting on the set of Rust after New Mexico prosecutors dropped their appeal.

The trial against him earlier this year collapsed after just three days over testimony that prosecutors had withheld potential evidence from the defence.

Baldwin was holding a gun which went off on the set in New Mexico in 2021, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza.

The 66-year-old, an actor and co-producer on the film, denied ever pulling the trigger and said he had been directed to aim it at a camera.

After the trial had ended, special prosecutor Kari Morrissey filed an appeal and claimed the case was “improperly dismissed” by Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer.

The state’s district attorney’s office said on Monday that while it still strongly disagreed with the judge’s decision, it “did not intend to exhaustively pursue the appeal”.

Local prosecutors added: “As a result, the State’s efforts to continue to litigate the case in a fair and comprehensive manner have been met with multiple barriers that have compromised its ability to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law.”

Baldwin’s lawyers Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro said the decision “is the final vindication of what Alec Baldwin and his attorneys have said from the beginning – this was an unspeakable tragedy but Alec Baldwin committed no crime”.

It means Judge Marlowe Sommer’s original ruling – that the case accusing Baldwin of involuntary manslaughter has been dismissed and cannot be filed again – stands.

The case collapsed when Baldwin’s defence team learnt the Santa Fe sheriff’s office had taken possession of live rounds as potential evidence on the same day the film’s armourer, Hannah Gutierrez, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter.

Investigators did not list these live rounds in the Rust file and they were not disclosed to defence lawyers, prompting a motion to dismiss the case.

After Mr Spiro claimed evidence had been concealed on day three of the trial, Ms Morrissey called herself as a witness and said the ammunition was not connected to the case.

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In a bizarre moment, Mr Spiro put it to Ms Morrissey during questioning that she simply did not “like Mr Baldwin very much”.

After she replied “that is absolutely untrue” and praised his acting and politics, Mr Spiro told the court that she had referred to the actor as a “c*********” and an “arrogant p****” to witnesses. She said she did not recall this.

Dismissing the trial, Judge Marlowe Sommer found the prosecution’s conduct on the live rounds was “highly prejudicial” to Baldwin and there was “no way for the court to right this wrong”.

The iconic crocodile who starred in hit film Crocodile Dundee has died, his zoo has announced.

Crocosaurus Cove, where Burt had been kept since 2008, said he passed away “peacefully” over the weekend.

He was estimated to be over 90 years old, well over the usual life expectancy.

“Burt was truly one of a kind. He wasn’t just a crocodile; he was a force of nature and a reminder of the power and majesty of these incredible creatures,” the zoo said.

“While his personality could be challenging, it was also what made him so memorable and beloved by those who worked with him and the thousands who visited him over the years.

“Visitors from around the globe marvelled at his impressive size and commanding presence, especially at feeding time.”

Burt was captured for the first time in the 1980s, the zoo said, and he appeared in Crocodile Dundee just before Christmas in 1986.

He starred alongside Paul Hogan in the film, helping to “shape Australia’s image as a land of rugged natural beauty and awe-inspiring wildlife”.

Known for his “independent nature”, the zoo said Burt was a “confirmed bachelor” with a “fiery temperament”, which earned him the respect of caretakers and visitors.

“As we mourn his loss, we are reminded of the vital role wildlife plays in our shared history and the importance of preserving it for future generations,” the zoo added.

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The average saltwater crocodile usually lives up to 70 years.

Crocosaurs Cove said it plans to install a commemorative sign to celebrate his “extraordinary life and the stories and interactions he shared throughout his time at the park”.