Coronation Street bosses have revealed that popular character Paul Foreman is to be diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease; a storyline that will ultimately lead to actor Peter Ash leaving the ITV soap.
Back in February, Paul started to have difficulty gripping things with his right hand. He assumed he had sustained an injury after being involved in a road accident caused by Carla Barlow.
However, in early April, after Paul has undergone a series of scans at the hospital, his specialist will break the news that she wants to test him for Motor Neurone Disease. The diagnosis will be confirmed later in the month.
Coronation Street is working closely with the MND Association on the forthcoming plot.
Says Peter Ash, “Paul doesn’t know what MND is, so his consultant explains the symptoms.
“When he’s told they’re testing for it, as far as he’s concerned, he’s got it. It makes sense because he knows this isn’t a normal injury; there’s something else going on.
“When it sinks in, it turns his whole world upside down.
“He wants to be sure before he tells anyone. He feels that there’s too much going on in everyone’s lives to unload that on them. So he bottles it up and keeps it in.”
Motor Neurone Disease is an uncommon condition that mainly affects people in their 60s and 70s, however, it can affect adults of all ages. It is caused when cells in the brain and nerves gradually stop working. This results in weakness and wasting of the muscles.
The disease is progressive, and there is no cure. Sadly, most people with MND die within five years of the onset of symptoms.
MND has been brought into sharper focus in recent years by former Leeds Rhinos rugby league player Rob Burrow MBE, who was diagnosed with the condition in 2019 when he was just 37 years old.
Adds Peter, “It’s a massive responsibility when you play a character with an illness or condition to get it right and to represent it properly. The MND Association has been a great help, giving us all the information we need.
“As Paul’s symptoms progress, I’m going to be speaking a lot more with them. It’s quite a journey that Paul will be going on.”
He continues, “I’ll be sad to leave the show — it’s been an amazing job and I’ve met some fantastic people.
“But at the same time, I’m happy to be involved in such a powerful storyline that will hopefully raise awareness.”
Coronation Street airs hour-long episodes on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8 pm on ITV — see our TV Guide for full listings. You can also catch up on episodes on ITVX.
