Known for her shrewish temper, Gail grew up without knowing who her dad was and in consequence her own family is deeply important to her. She wears rose-tinted glasses when it comes to relationships and has made some terrible – almost deadly – mistakes.
"Principles don't put bread on the table"
Significant Others Roy Thornley; Terry Bradshaw; Ian Latimer; Jeff Singleton; Phil Nail
Marriages Brian Tilsley; Martin Platt; Richard Hillman
Jobs Packer, Mark Brittain warehouse; assistant, corner shop; shop assistant, Sylvia’s Separates; manager, The Western Front (formerly Sylvia's Separates); waitress, Dawson’s Cafe; assistant, Jim's Cafe; manageress, Jim's Cafe; waitress, Roy's Rolls
1974 Then Gail Potter, she takes a job in Mark Brittain's warehouse.
1976 Takes new job in fashion shop Sylvia's Separates and loses her virginity in the stockroom to married man Roy Thornley.
1978 Falls for brooding biker Brian Tilsley.
1979 Flighty mum Audrey arrives for wedding to Brian in November.
1980 Son Nicky is born on New Year's Eve.
1982 Brian gets made redundant from his mechanics job and takes a short contract in Qatar. Lonely Gail has affair with Les Charlton in his absence.
1983 Moves with Brian into mother-in-law Ivy's and Ivy drives a wedge between them.
1984 Nearly raped by mum Audrey's nasty fiancé George Hepworth.
1985 Splits from Brian and moves out with the baby. Brian wins her back.
1986 Sleeps with Brian's Aussie cousin Ian Latimer. Falls pregnant and isn't sure who the father is.
1987 Ian returns from Australia and proposes. Gail goes into premature labour when Brian fights with Ian and Sarah Louise is born. Ian has a blood test that proves he isn't the baby's father.
1988 Remarries Brian in February.
1989 Marriage on the rocks. Brian is fatally stabbed outside a nightclub.
1990 Gets involved with younger man Martin Platt. Falls pregnant and nearly has an abortion. Baby David is born on Christmas Day.
1991 Marries Martin in September.
1993 Mentally unstable nanny Carmel makes up an affair with Martin and tries to kidnap David. Gail pushes her down the stairs.
1995 Martin confesses to once sleeping with nurse Cathy Power but their marriage survives the revelation.
2000 Young teen Sarah Louise falls pregnant with baby Bethany. Martin has an affair with nurse Rebecca Hopkins. Gail forgives him but later asks for a divorce.
2001 Dates charming financier Richard Hillman.
2002 Conman Richard lets a business partner die and later commits murder. An unwitting Gail marries Richard in July. Disbelieves Audrey when she suggests Richard is trying to kill her.
2003 Richard murders again. Confesses to Gail and kidnaps her and the kids and drives them into the canal. All survive, apart from Richard.
2005 Fights over reflexologist Phil Nail with Eileen Grimshaw – and wins. David determines to split them.
2006 Receives cards signed by Richard Hillman and suspects Phil. Phil leaves. David's increasingly out of control and admits to the prank.
Helen was born Cathryn Helen Wigglesworth on January 7 1951 in Leeds, and she was brought up in Morecambe, Lancashire. Helen first became interested in performing after staying with her grandmother who ran a boarding house for music hall stars.
Her first TV appearance came when she was 10 in an episode of Z-Cars alongside Glenda Jackson and she later appeared in The Sound of Music on the West End stage. Helen also performed in rep and had small parts in films like Oliver! and The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.
Helen started dating Boys From The Blackstuff actor Michael Angelis in 1977 and they married in 1991 but split after four years of marriage. Helen has no children and she has homes in Cheshire and London.
