Friday’s episode of Coronation Street was a rollercoaster of emotions as viewers got a glimpse into the life of Paul Foreman, portrayed by Peter Ash.
Last year, the beloved character was diagnosed with MND and his condition has been deteriorating over the past few months. With no cure for the disease, fans are bracing themselves for Paul’s eventual death on the show.
Before his speech began to falter, Paul had asked his husband Billy Mayhew (Daniel Brocklebank) to assist him in ending his life when the time was right. In Friday’s episode, Paul played their wedding song while alone at home, signalling to Billy that he was ready to go.
Billy was taken aback and tried to change his mind, but ultimately respected Paul’s wishes and began preparing the drugs. As he tearfully expressed his love for Paul, they were interrupted by Chesney Brown (Sam Aston) who informed them that Carys had fallen down the stairs and asked if they could care for the other children.
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They agreed to Chesney’s request and Paul’s nieces and nephews spent the night. The next morning, Paul told Billy that he wasn’t planning on dying just yet, reports the Express.
As this heart-wrenching storyline continues to unfold, it’s clear that Billy will play a role in Paul’s end-of-life decision.
Fans are fearful about Billy’s fate on the popular soap, with questions rising over whether he’ll end up behind bars for assisting with Paul’s death as assisted euthanasia is still very much against the law in the UK.
An online user posted: “On Friday’s episode Billy was literally minutes away from granting Paul’s dying wish. But I kept thinking about how Billy would likely go to prison. (Which will be another boring trial) I know they discussed it but I can’t remember what he said.”
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Jumping into the convo, another soap fan replied: “I think Paul will die naturally so it won’t come to that. However, I do think Billy will turn to prescribed drugs again.”
One Twitter user couldn’t help but muse: “I don’t know how Billy is going to retain his job after this, given he could even go to prison. But I admire him for doing it for the one he loves.”
Adding to the mix of opinions, another viewer wrote: “Why is no one considering that Billy could go to prison for helping Paul? Not even mentioned.”
Someone else quipped: “The best thing about Paul’s storyline is the thought that if Billy helps him die he could face up to 14 years in prison.”
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Reflecting on the gripping plot twist, actor Peter Ash showed immense pride: “I feel incredibly proud to have worked on this episode.”
Unable to contain his emotions, he added: “From the moment I read the script I knew it was going to be something really special (mostly because I couldn’t stop crying! ) I loved being able to record Paul’s inner thoughts, showing us the mind is still 100%, even with MND.”
He shared his high hopes for viewers’ reactions: “I hope the audience enjoys it, as everyone involved gave their all!”
Coronation Street continues Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays on ITV from 8pm
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
