The actor also shared his ‘request’ to ITV soap bosses over Billy Mayhew’s future
Coronation Street star Daniel Brocklebank has admitted that the ‘heartbreak’ being witnessed on-screen is ‘real’ as his castmate will be seen exiting the ITV soap in upcoming scenes.
Recently, viewers saw Paul Foreman heading on a day out with his husband Billy Mayhew, played by Daniel, after being told it was no longer safe for him to use the stairlift in the flat that gives him his freedom amid his deteriorating health as a result of Motor Neurone Disease.
The powerful episode was devoted entirely to the day in the life of Paul from his perspective, with his inner monologue heard describing his true thoughts and feelings as his speech continues to be cruelly taken from him.
Paul and Billy visited the church where they married before David Platt gave him a taste he had been missing as he turned a beer into bubbles in the Rovers as some of his friends gathered together. He was also keen to spend time with his family, including his nieces and nephews, before calling for his mum to visit him.
He later signalled to Billy that the time had come for him to want to end his own life, which left his partner distraught. However, as the couple made devastating plans, they were interrupted by Chesney Brown, who revealed daughter Carys had an accident and that he and Gemma needed to go hospital so could they look after the other children.
The children couldn’t sleep as they all spent time with Paul in the sitting room and the next day, as they all left to go home, Paul told his family he would see them soon. Billy picked up on this as Paul decided: “Not today”, deciding he didn’t want to say goodbye just yet.
But Paul will pass away within the next few weeks, as cast and crew have recently been spotted filming his funeral episode on location in Greater Manchester. Discussing upcoming scenes, Daniel told Digital Spy: “It’s more of Billy and Paul coping with Paul’s decline.
“Obviously we are sadly coming toward the end of this story, so the audience would probably be best to keep a little box of tissues on the arm of your chair. As much as Billy, Bernie and Summer are all grieving Paul, we’re grieving Pete [Ash, who plays him], because we’re going to be losing one of our best mates. So the heartbreak is real.”
However, asked what he knows about Billy’s longer-term future, he admitted: “Absolutely nothing at all! I have requested a really hot new love interest but we’ll have to wait and see!”
