Coronation Street actor Daniel Brocklebank, who plays Billy Mayhew on the ITV soap, has opened up about his heart-breaking personal connection to the character Paul Foreman's Motor Neuron Disease (MND) storyline.
An Emotional Journey on Screen
Viewers have witnessed Paul's slow deterioration as he battles this awful disease, with his diagnosis kept secret from loved ones until he finally reveals the truth to his partner, Billy.
A Connection Close to Home
Daniel Brocklebank spoke exclusively to The Celeb Report at the NTAs, sharing his own personal connection to the storyline. He revealed that his own grandfather died from MND and that he has been an ambassador for the MND Association for the past 23 years.
Reflecting on the importance of the storyline, Daniel said, "The subject is very close to my heart, I’m hoping that we are doing it justice and bringing a lot of awareness to such a cruel disease."
An Emotional Farewell
With Paul's character, played by Peter Ash, set to meet a heart-breaking end, Daniel expressed his sadness to say goodbye to his co-star. He said, "I’m going to miss him [Peter] massively, I adore him. It’s so strange with these shows when you spend years working with people and suddenly you’re not working with them and maybe you will again. Billy and Paul’s characters have got back together, broken up and then gotten back together again. I’m going to miss him terribly."
Leaving Viewers in Tears
Recently, viewers were left in tears as Paul discovered how much time he has left to live.
Coronation Street continues to air on ITV1 and ITVX.
