Yahoo News Coronation Street reveals Paul Foreman's dad played by Emmerdale star ahead of heartbreaking exit
Coronation Street has unveiled Paul Foreman's dad for the first time as his health deteriorates. As viewers of the ITV soap know, the former builder is living with Motor Neurone Disease.
Paul, played by Peter Ash, discovered the heartbreaking news last year after being accidentally knocked over by Carla Connor in the Underworld van after she had unknowingly been drugged with LSD.
There have since been some emotional scenes as Paul continues to face his diagnosis, including in January when Paul's husband Billy Mayhew discovered what Paul had been secretly planning after Paul suggested to Todd Grimshaw that he wanted to make the choice when his life should come to an end as his symptoms caused by the life-limiting disease progress.
READ MORE: Read more of our Coronation Street stories here
In upcoming scenes, Billy helps Paul dress for his radio interview with Amy Barlow and assures him he’ll smash it. A cab arrives to take Paul and his mum Bernie to the interview and it’s obvious the car isn’t big enough for Paul’s wheelchair.
Paul is left furious as the driver is rude and dismissive. They still make it but as Amy conducts her radio interview with Paul, he talks passionately about his MND and society’s lack of regard for disability in general, but gets carried away and swears live on air.
Paul, Billy and his sister Gemma are blown away by the MND crowd funder and are sure it will make the council sit up and take notice about the possible centre closure. Meanwhile, a man approaches Bernie outside the café, telling her he heard Paul on the radio and didn’t realise his son was dying.
Bernie covers her shock and makes out Paul’s already dead and the interview was a recording. But disbelieving her, Denny follows her up to the flat where Gemma and Paul are shocked to see their dad. When Denny remarks that Paul looks great for someone that’s supposedly dead, Bernie freezes in horror.
Later, Bernie lets off steam to Dev about Denny, secretly worried that Denny might blab about her past. Billy, meanwhile, reminds Paul that Denny used to knock him about when he was a kid and he’s not to be trusted but when Paul invites Denny to watch a film, Billy reluctantly leaves them to it.
Denny soon nips out for ice cream leaving Paul alone in the flat. He bumps into Gemma and begs her to let him meet his grandchildren. But while alone in the flat, Paul has a coughing fit and struggles to breathe. He calls for an ambulance but when the operator answers, he drops the phone.
Denny then returns and is shocked to find Paul barely conscious. Meanwhile, Dev Alahan finds Bernie rifling through a shoebox of old letters and photos. When Dev wonders what she’s looking for, Bernie’s uneasy...
Denny is being played by Bradford-born actor Danny Cunningham. He is known for a number of films including Little Shop of Horrors, 24 Hour Party People and The Secret Life of Words. Some may also recognise him for appearing in Emmerdale as Connor Cooper.
