Helen Worth looked incredible as she made a rare public appearance at the North West Royal Television Society awards in Manchester on Friday night.

The Coronation Street star, 73, donned a tailored black suit paired with a sheer black embroidered top.

The actress accessoried with gold jewellery and toted her belongings in a small stylish black bag.

Helen was joined by her co-star Peter Ash, who plays Paul Foreman on the long-running soap.

The evening was particularly special for the star, who was honoured with the special judges award for her long career and contribution to television. 

Accepting the award presented to her by on-screen son Jack P. Shepherd, she laughed: ‘I can’t believe he’s here. 

Helen Worth looked incredible as she made a rare public appearance at the North West Royal Television Society awards in Manchester on Friday night

She was joined by her co-star Peter Ash, who plays Paul Foreman on the long-running soap

‘I said goodbye to him two weeks ago – and I thought I’d never see him again!’

Taking the award she told the audience: ‘To receive an award, in Manchester, in the north west, the home of Coronation Street, is an absolute joy.

‘I’ve done 50 years, I don’t know how I did it!

‘It just flew by and I never actually thought about it and then one day someone told me I’d been here 50 years and I thought ‘I think it’s time I left’ and that was it really.

‘I know why I stayed – it was simple – because of all the wonderful people who work on Coronation Street.’

Back in October it was revealed that Helen was filming her final scenes as the beloved character, bids farewell to the cobbles of Coronation Street after a staggering 50-year career.

Announcing her departure from the show in June, the 73-year-old said: ‘This year felt like the perfect time to leave the show after celebrating 50 years in the most wonderful job on the most wonderful street in the world.

‘I made the decision at the start of the year and spoke to the producers who were very kind and understanding. The fact that I’m leaving hasn’t quite sunk in yet.’

The evening was particularly special for the star, who was honoured with the special judges award for her long career and contribution to television

Last month it was revealed that the Coronation street legend, who is best known on screen as Gail Platt, finished filming her final episodes (pictured in a previous episode)   

Gail marrying Martin Platt, played by Sean Wilson, in 1991. She holds the record as the soap’s most married female character

In her final series Gail finds love again but this time with a man 18 years younger after a surprise return from Jesse Chadwick, played by John Thomson, 55.

Read MoreEXCLUSIVE Helen Worth to film final scenes as Coronation Street’s Gail THIS WEEK

Thomson left the show after two years in 2010 but has come back and struck up a romance with Ms Worth’s character.

Gail, who first appeared on the ITV soap in 1974, holds the record as its most married female character.

Her on-screen husbands include Brian Tilsley, played by Christopher Quinten, and Martin Platt [Sean Wilson].

More than 19million viewers watched her third husband, serial killer Richard Hillman [Brian Capron], drive her into a canal in one of the show’s most dramatic episodes.

She was falsely imprisoned when her fourth husband Joe McIntyre [Reece Dinsdale] drowned. Her last marriage was to Michael Rodwell [Les Dennis] in 2015. 

The actress’ final scenes will air on Christmas Day as Gail is set to walk down the aisle for the seventh time.