Fiz and Tyrone find out that Hope’s very, very ill and Tyrone becomes determined to make the little girl happy - no matter what the cost, Coronation Street’s Alan Halsall explains to Soaplife...
Tyrone and Fiz have been hoping against hope that the outcome of Hope’s biopsy will bring good rather than bad news. But it’s not to be.
“Doctors tell them Hope has a cancer called neuroblastoma and she’ll need chemotherapy. It’s a real kick in the gut for them,” says Alan.
How are Fiz and Tyrone coping with Hope’s illness?
“By living day-to-day. They have to stay cheerful for Hope, and also for Ruby. They still need to shop for food, Tyrone has to go to work, and so on… They try to distract themselves by doing ordinary things, but it’s on their minds all the time. It’s a nightmare for them.”
But Tyrone tries to see the positives when they receive Hope’s results…
“Absolutely. It’s in his nature, plus he’s determined to be strong for Fiz [Jennie McAlpine] in order to support her. He’s very worried himself, but he feels he has to hold it together for the sake of his family.”
What makes Tyrone book the trip to Lapland?
“Once he gets the full diagnosis and realises it could be very serious, he just wants to make whatever time they have is extra special. He wants to give the girls the best Halloween, the best Bonfire Night and, of course, the best Christmas. Hope’s face lights up when he mentions Lapland so he just goes ahead on a whim and books it.”
What’s Fiz’s reaction?
“Fiz is concerned about money, but I think this is fuelled by fear. Not just the fear of having no money, but a fear of everything. It’s all driven by the worry of what could happen to her child. For Ty, money’s not at all important… but Hope, Fiz and Ruby are. He figures they’ll just cope.”
Will they?
“It’s going to get tough, and Fiz and Ty’s relationship will come under strain. But, then again, their relationship may also become stronger as a result. The fact that Hope isn’t Tyrone’s biological daughter makes absolutely no difference to him. She’s as much his daughter as Ruby is.”
Coronation Street, ITV.
