Coronation Street makes powerful change as near-death experience sparks proposal

Coronation Street sent fans a powerful message during the latest episode as they made a major - and very rare - change. The Platt family have had a worrying time after matriarch Gail was rushed to hospital in scenes aired last week after a row at home with her children left her clutching her chest.

During last Wednesday night's (October 23) Corrie, viewers saw Carla Connor tell Gail’s son David and his partner Shona that she has made on offer on their house after Gail put No.8 up for sale. A row broke out between Jesse Chadwick and Gail’s daughter Sarah and son David before Gail snapped and urged her children to leave the house.

Jesse returned to Weatherfield, after having a brief romance with Gail when the two were in Thailand, and decided to visit her after hearing about the challenges of Gail’s granddaughter Bethany’s botched Turkish cosmetic surgery which left her fighting for her life in the hospital.

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After Sarah and David left, Jesse was seen hunting for Gail’s granddaughter Lily’s bicycle pump and was shocked by what he found. However, his curiosity disappeared when he noticed Gail breathing unsteadily and clutching her arm, and he phoned an ambulance.

She was quickly rushed to the hospital where she was seen unconscious as doctors declared that she needed urgent medical attention as she went into arrest.

In the latest episode, which aired on Sunday night (October 27) instead of airing in its usual Friday night slot, the family waited for news and were eventually told that the operation had gone well and Gail would be discharged from the hospital in the next couple of days.

Shona was then heard asking David about the progress of the house sale, and Jesse quickly became suspicious about how he had managed to get the bank to back him. With a guilty concience, David visited his mum and when she woke up, they had an emotional chat in which he apologised for causing so much stress over the house and she reassured him that he wasn't responsible what had happened to her.

David then returned to the house to check on the bag of Damon Hay's 'missing' money and he discovered it was gone. But it didn't take long for him to realise who had it as Jesse confronted him about the cash and was furious that David had let him be blamed for stealing the money.

David pleaded with him not to tell Gail, reminding him that he had the power to influence Sarah and Nick’s opinion of him. And later, once back at the hospital, while Gail was drowsy from the painkillers, she told Jesse that her happiest memories from her life are with him in Thailand, and she asked him to marry her.

But the major change came when Corrie altered its classic theme tune was changed to the sound of a flatlining heartbeat following Gail's cardiac arrest.

As part of the storyline, the ITV soap opera partnered with the British Heart Foundation (BHF) to raise awareness about heart disease. At the end of Sunday’s episode, the credits were interrupted by a message to highlight the charity’s research into prevention, diagnosis and treatment for heart and circulatory diseases.

It was voiced by BHF ambassador and former Corrie actor and the BHF's retail ambassador Kimberly Hart-Simpson, who played Nicky Wheatley in the soap. Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, associate medical director at the BHF and consultant cardiologist, said: “A heart attack can happen on any street, even Coronation Street.

"We’re honoured to be a part of British television history by working with ITV and Coronation Street to deliver the incredibly important message that heart attacks happen to women too and that supporting the BHF to fund science could save lives. We hope the unexpected sound of a heart monitor flatlining at the end of Sunday’s episode captured people’s attention and served as a reminder that Gail’s exit from the show could have ended very differently.”

Simon Daglish, deputy managing director of commercial at ITV, said: "Just as Gail’s heart momentarily stopped, we want to arrest the famous Coronation Street theme tune to showcase the incredible work of the British Heart Foundation. We’re very proud to be able to work with important charities and brands to help amplify their message in innovative and creative ways and help the BHF with their vital research."