An upcoming episode of Coronation Street will be dedicated entirely to Paul Foreman (Peter Ash) and Billy Mayhew’s (Daniel Brocklebank) storyline as they have one last day out making memories before Paul’s motor neurone disease stops him from leaving the flat completely.
Recently in the ITV soap, Paul fell out of the stairlift he’s been using that’s been able to get him from the flower shop flat and onto the cobbles. Sadly though, a new occupational therapist will tell Paul and Billy soon that Paul’s muscles have reached a stage where he cannot sit safely in the stairlift.
The couple are on a waiting list to move out of the flat and into a ground floor apartment but until this can happen, it will leave Paul confined to the four walls of his home.
Before Paul gets stuck in the flat full time, Billy tells him they’ll leave one last time tomorrow, and Paul can do whatever he wants.
‘Billy takes him back to the church where they got married, which is lovely, and they have a nice little moment there’, Daniel Brocklebank explained.
‘He’s also organised for some of Paul’s buddies to all meet at the Rovers for a drink. Obviously Paul can’t drink because he’s got a feeding tube. However David organises this funky little bit of machinery and you can make bubbles out of any liquid that tastes of the liquid. So obviously, having not been able to swallow anything at all for some time this is such a fun treat as David makes some beer bubbles for Paul so that he can actually taste the taste a bit.
‘The whole day is amazing and I really don’t want to spoil it by giving too much away. It was the most incredible and emotional episode to film. Not all of the day is big surprises or gestures. I think what Billy is realising, as I think most people should, in life, generally anyway, is that actually the small things are the biggest. You don’t need grand gestures or expensive gifts, it is in the detail, the little things that matter the most.’
The episode is devoted entirely to the importance of making memories and living in the moment. ‘Everything’s changing so quickly for them’, Daniel pondered.
‘Not just for Paul, but for Billy as well. Because with each bit of decline in Paul’s health, they have to adapt to a new issue, and just confront it head on and get on with it. Because obviously there’s no sidestepping it. You can’t get around the fact that Paul is living with late stages of MND. So I think it is absolutely about them just trying to utilise any bit of joy, squeeze any last bit of joy out of any little moment that they can.’
While these scenes are expected to be heartwarming, they will be tinged with sadness. Viewers know that Paul previously asked for Billy’s help to end his life when the time comes and here, Dan explains that with time, his character has eventually made peace with his husband’s decision.
‘Initially, obviously, it went against his entire moral and religious code, against everything he stands for, because in Billy’s mind life is life is given to us by God, and therefore is sacred and precious. But then obviously, he also understands Paul’s wishes.
He added: ‘Billy’s a very compassionate person, and despite it being the most brutal moment of his life, I think he’s made peace with it. With Billy, it’s more about when that time comes, if that time comes, he has to make sure that it really is the moment and Paul is making the right decision.
‘Billy will then be left with the consequences afterwards, and could potentially be left wondering, should I have tried harder to stop him or convince him that maybe next week is a better day, or the week after that, or the week after that, but I do think ultimately, has now made peace with Paul’s decision.’
