Coronation Street's Daniel Brocklebank – who plays Billy Mayhew on the ITV soap – has admitted Paul Foreman’s upcoming Motor Neurone Disease “could be very triggering.”
In recent weeks, fans have been concerned for builder Paul (Peter Ash) after he was accidentally knocked over by Carla Connor (Alison King) in her Underworld van.
After a recent trip to the GP, the Weatherfield resident was told he was nerve damage in his hand following the road traffic accident on the cobbles.
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But his health is set to take a turn for the worse when Paul is diagnosed with motor neuron disease (MND) next week.
MND is a fatal, rapidly progressing disease that affects the brain and spinal cord which attacks the nerves that control movement.
The condition does not usually affect the senses but will leave Paul feeling trapped in his failing body, unable to move, talk and eventually breathe.
Now, in an exclusive interview with Daily Star and other publications, soap star Daniel has shared his personal connection to the fatal condition.
Daniel has been an ambassador for the MND Association for the last couple of years but has been actively working with the association for more than two decades.
He explained: “20 years ago, my grandfather was diagnosed with MND and obviously subsequently died from it, so this is a subject that I've lived through in my own life.
“When I first got the phone call from Iain (the producer), they had no idea of my history with MND or with the association, so it was a bit of a shock.
“I'm not going to lie, my legs went a little bit weak because I suppose it just brings back memories of that time and I did wonder, ‘Well this could be quite triggering in a lot of ways’.”
He added that his main concern with the upcoming storyline is how “triggering” filming the heartbreaking scenes will be on his mental health.
The soap star continued: “I think the only pressure is to see how triggering it will be. I won’t have any trouble accessing emotion to play it.
“Billy's quite an emotional character anyway so I think the only pressure will be to try not to burst into tears at any moment.
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The actor then shared his plans to bring in his personal experience with the condition into his portrayal of Billy as he helps Paul manage the progressive illness.
He went on: “I'm hoping that I might be able to bring some of my personal experience into the playing of this storyline having been someone who did in real life help to care for someone with MND.
“Obviously I'm extremely sad that we will have to eventually lose Peter but for the illness and for the MND Association and for my grandfather, it’s a strange but lovely way to commemorate them and they’re stories.”
Coronation Street continues on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX
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