Coronation Street's Paul Foreman star says 'I adored playing him' after 'amazing' soap stint

Paul Foreman's final scenes aired in Coronation Street
-Credit: (Image: ITV)


Coronation Street star Peter Ash has spoken out about his 'amazing' soap stint as his character's tragic exit aired. Fans of the ITV soap haven't been looking forward to the moment they'd finally have to say goodbye to Paul Foreman after six years.

Viewers will remember that Paul, whose birth name is Appolo, was first introduced to Corrie viewers when he shared a prison cell with David Platt back in May 2018.

However, the character didn't officially appear in Weatherfield until January 2019, when he arrived looking for his twin sister, Gemma, aka Gemini. Their mum, Bernie Winter, also arrived on the cobbles in the same year.

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But as for Paul, he quickly made a life for himself on the street, gaining employment at Underworld and finding love with local vicar Billy Mayhew which also led him to becoming a father figure to teenager Summer Spellman.

However, he lost his new family in 2020 after Billy fell victim to the interference and lies of ex-boyfriend Todd Grimshaw, blaming Paul for a number of events which were actually Todd's doing. But by 2023, Summer's three dads had put the past behind them and Paul had reconciled with Billy, moving back into 19a Rosamund Street with him and Summer.

Then, in April 2023, tragedy struck when Paul was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease. The former builder was told had had the life-shortening disease, in which messages from the motor neurones gradually stop reaching the muscles, shortly after being knocked over by Carla Connor in an Underworld van.

Since being diagnosed with MND, for which there is currently no cure, Paul's condition has continued to deteriorate, much to the frustration and sadness of Paul and the heartbreak of those around him.

Then during Monday night's (September 9) Corrie, 17 months after receiving his diagnosis, Paul was rushed to hospital as he struggled to breathe and later, after doctors informed his family there was nothing more they could do but make him comfortable, Paul took his last breath.

Paul suddenly took a turn for the worse -Credit:ITV
Paul suddenly took a turn for the worse -Credit:ITV

Speaking about his exit from Corrie, Peter told the Manchester Evening News and other press: "It's not sunk in for me yet because I've still been in the building for press things and I still see Dan [Brocklebank] and Jane [Hazlegrove] and everyone.

"I said it probably wouldn't sink in until I'd seen my final ep but it was very odd watching that. I've never played a character on telly who has died before so that was a strange one. But I'm sure it [his exit] will start sinking in now. It was very odd. It was the first time I've seen it. You rarely see episodes until they air unless there's a press thing... As I said I've never seen myself as a character die before so it's very strange."

Since being told of the storyline, Peter has known his time on the soap would be coming to an end sooner rather than later. "I massively thank Iain and Verity [MacLeod] for trusting me with this story," he told us. "It's a double-edged sword. I always knew it would be an eventual exit unless we were lucky enough to find a cure [for MND] in that time...

"But I always knew it would be [his exit] and I'm just, again, grateful that they trusted me to play the storyline and allowed it to play out, there was never a 'this is when it's going to end'. I was always quite surprised when I'd ring Iain and he'd say, 'Right, this is what's happening for the next six months...' But it was amazing."

He added: I've never been involved in something like this - such an issue-led story. It makes it special when you know you are raising awareness for an amazing cause and doing a bit of good... As far as I'm concerned that's a job well done."

Away from the MND storyline, Peter also reflected on his - and Paul's - Corrie journey as a whole. "I've had some great times. Paul's been a great character to play, I've absolutely adored playing him," he told us. "My very first day was in the cells with Jack [P Shepherd], who plays David. I was just his cellmate for three episodes and I had a great couple of days filming that...

"A few months later, I heard they were bringing Paul back as Gemma's twin and a love interest for Billy and that was the most amazing news ever. It was unbelievable. The first day back then filming was in Roy's Rolls - he stole a fiver off Eileen [Grimshaw] and Billy clocked him. I've been really lucky with the storylines he's been involved in- I was in the Underworld roof collapse, the abuse storyline was interesting to do... I've been very, very lucky."