The fall and rise of Gail Potter

(This post was originally posted by Graeme N on the Coronation Street Blog in February 2013.)

I don't hate Gail. I just like her a lot less than I used to. I put that firmly at the door of the storyliners and the writers. Helen Worth always puts in terrific performances as Gail and as an actress she has been incredibly loyal and positive about the Street for the last 38 years. 

I think we all enjoyed the culmination of the Lewis Archer plot last week. Gail really did have it coming. However, rather than dwelling on the negative fallout of this story, I make a plea to the powers that be at Coronation Street to mark this out as a turning point for our Gail. After all the failed marriages, murderers, faked deaths and horrible children with different heads, I truly think Gail has hit rock bottom and has only one place to go. And that's up. 

I have long been uncomfortable with the decision to portray Gail as pathetic and daft. The woman now always gets it wrong. She makes a living cleaning her son's toilets when she was once an aspiring career woman who had a share in a business and stood up to scary Ivy for the common good. I think post-Lewis we need to see a stronger, smarter, more confident and more likeable Gail.

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First of all we need to see Gail and Audrey make up and be friends again. I love this pair as mother and daughter. Thinking about it, Audrey and Gail must be one of the most successful, long lasting partnerships in the Street's history. They have been mother and daughter on screen now for nearly 34 years. And despite the knowledge that Sue Nicholls is only seven years older than Helen Worth, it somehow works. For me, they are the very heart of the show, and a valuable link to the past.

So what would I like to see the new, improved Gail do? Well she's never going to stop meddling in the lives of her family so we can't change that. Personally I would love her to ditch the memories of all the awful men in her life and revert back to Gail Potter. It might just put a bit of verve back in her, and help her to move on. McIntyre never really suited her. However, I think the biggest change would be to get her out of Nick's urinals and back running her own show. I have three options on how this could happen:

1. Audrey lends her some money and she invests in a share of Roy's Rolls. Gail and Roy worked together at the Cafe after Alma sold up so it could work again. After Hayley leaves there will also be a big gap to fill at the Croppers. I would love to see Gail back behind the counter, jostling with Roy's mum, Sylvia.

2. Gail's old friend from the 70s, Tricia Hopkins, returns to the area to reconnect with her old pal. In the intervening years Tricia has become a successful business woman and buys the old butcher's shop, converting it into a ladies boutique. Tricia could then install Gail as manager and the pair could run it together.

3. I may be wrong, but I think Gail's closest friend, Sally Webster, still has a load of cash stashed away from Kevin's lottery win. If so, Sally could invest in a shop and run it with old friend Gail. I love Sally and Gail together - they go way back. Remember Gail was pregnant with David while Sally was pregnant with Rosie. Their scene in the Rovers last week reminded me how little we see of them together these days. I would love to see them go into business together - we need more Snooty Sally as well!


So those are my suggestions for what Gail should do next. What are yours?


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