September 10th 2024.
Peter Ash, who plays Paul Foreman on Coronation Street, recently bid farewell to the soap after his character's tragic journey with motor neurone disease came to an end. The emotional scenes that aired yesterday marked the end of this chapter in Paul's life, which began almost 18 months ago when he received his diagnosis.
Viewers have watched Paul's condition deteriorate over time, first losing his ability to move and then struggling to speak. In recent weeks, he has even had to rely on a ventilator to help him breathe. During Friday's episode, Paul's brother Kit Green made a promise to keep a health episode secret from their mother, Bernie Winter, so that Paul's partner Billy could enjoy a night out with his friends without worrying.
As Peter said his final goodbyes to the show, he was surprised by his co-stars Daniel Brocklebank, who plays Billy, and Summer Spellman, who plays Billy's adopted daughter. After being asked about his feelings on leaving the show, Peter replied with a whirlwind of emotions and expressed his gratitude for the wonderful people he has met while working on the show.
Paul's condition has been getting worse in recent weeks, and his co-stars Daniel and Harriet surprised him with a balloon and card during filming, causing Peter to jokingly exclaim, "You f****s, and I just swore so you can't use any of this!".
Speaking about the tearjerking episode, Peter shared his experience, saying, "As actors, we had been building up to this moment for 18 months, so putting that final block in was like, 'We're here.' It felt so far in the future when we were first pitched the storyline. We shot everything pretty much chronologically, so the scene where Billy arrives and holds on to Paul, who has already passed, was my last scene."
When asked about what's to come for the family after Paul's death, Peter explained, "Billy and Bernie have different approaches to life and, subsequently, to death as well. Both of them are grieving for someone they love, but each thinks they have dibs on the grief stakes, one as a mother and one as a husband."
He continued, "Billy is more traditional, wanting hymns at the funeral, while Bernie prefers pop songs. There is also conflict between them when it comes to the funeral arrangements, with Billy wanting a hearse and Bernie wanting something else. So, tensions will definitely be high in the next few weeks."
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