Paul Foreman and Billy Mayhew of Coronation Street recently decided to give their relationship another chance and have been talking about moving in together, according to an exclusive report. As Paul is given a serious health diagnosis, their relationship is about to hit a major roadblock.
The injuries Paul Foreman (Peter Ash) sustained when Carla Connor (Alison King) struck him in a van she wasn’t insured for have been difficult for him to recover from. Paul was given a work suspension and informed that he had suffered nerve and muscle damage. Paul’s family and relationship with Billy Mayhew (Daniel Brocklebank) will be devastated by his motor neurone disease (MND) diagnosis, according to a report from Coronation Street.
In Friday’s episode, Dr. Gaddas (Christine Mackie) informed Paul that his injuries were not the result of the accident and that she would be referring him to a neurologist.
As Paul is referred to a specialist, he also begins to notice additional balance, mobility, and dexterity problems.
He receives the devastating news that he has MND in the first part of April and struggles to accept it, refusing to tell Billy and his family.
Before finally telling his loved ones, the plot will follow Paul’s experience with the illness.
Actor Daniel Brocklebank, who played Billy, recently talked about working with Peter on the plot and revealed he had a personal connection to the problem.
Regarding whether he felt more pressure, Daniel said to Express.co.uk and other media: “Well, I haven’t spoken to them in a very long time because obviously, we have to keep quiet about what’s coming up.
But I did speak to my mother because she has a brother and a sister and her father had MND. I asked all three of them if they would mind if I disclosed some of our family’s experiences dealing with someone who has MND.
“And the three of them rejoiced over I’m going to talk about pretty much everything because, in the grand scheme of things, it will increase awareness and financial support for research that, ideally, will prevent future generations from going through what we did.
“The only pressure I believe is from… Since it is Billy’s journey and not mine, the only pressure I feel is to anticipate how upsetting it will be.
“Billy is a character who I believe is quite emotional, so I won’t have any trouble getting into character to play it. As Peter mentioned, we want to portray it as sensitively and realistically as possible.
“I don’t anticipate having any issues because I’m entering a field in which I don’t need to conduct any research.
“The fact that I have personally gone through and experienced it lessens the pressure in some ways. I suppose the increased pressure will be attempting to contain her tears at all times.
Peter said in response to a question about the upcoming Paul storyline and how it felt to have the chance to promote MND awareness: “I knew very little about MND before embarking on the storyline, and I am enormously grateful to the MND Association for all their help and support.
We are aware that some people watching this storyline are experiencing it in reality; it is their life. For any actor playing a role that examines a real-life issue or condition, there comes a huge sense of responsibility.
“Education and awareness are very significant. Even in the brief time I have been involved in this plot, I have already learned a great deal. Paul’s journey, we hope, can raise awareness of the signs and what it
is what it’s like for someone to have MND.”
Iain MacLeod, the executive producer of Coronation Street, further stated: “Motor Neurone Disease is something that many people may have heard of but perhaps don’t know a lot about, even given the recent instances of famous people discussing their experiences with the condition.
“A show like Coronation Street is ideally positioned to depict the day-to-day reality of living with an illness that gradually and steadily erodes the physical attributes that you may take for granted, forever altering the way you interact with the world around you.
“We are dedicated to depicting the effects of this condition on Paul and his family and friends over the long term in a sensitive manner, not avoiding the sometimes painful reality of what his life will be like.
We had the honor of collaborating with the Motor Neurone Disease Association, which included speaking with patients and their families, to make sure we accurately represented people’s actual experiences.
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