Coronation Street fans have been left in tears at Peter Ash's heartbreaking storyline as his character, Paul Foreman, battles Motor Neurone Disease . In a first for the long running soap there was an entire episode dedicated to his powerful journey as he spends a perfect day with his partner, Billy Mayhew, before his condition leaves him unable to. Actor Peter first stepped foot in Weatherfield in 2018 as Paul, David Platt’s cellmate from their time at Highfield Prison.
He quickly cemented himself as a series regular after his release from prison. His character became a part of the show’s first same-sex wedding upon Paul’s marriage to on-screen husband Billy Mayhew, played by Daniel Brocklebank. The wedding took place over 60 years after the show first aired.
But the characters have been navigating difficult news with Paul’s MND diagnosis , which has affected his nearest and dearest in the series. He kept his diagnosis a secret for some time but eventually told his husband and others close to him about what he was going through. Only recently, things have deteriorated for the cobbles favourite and Friday's episode aired a powerful episode devoted entirely to a day in the life of Paul from his perspective.
The actor has even won an award for his portrayal of the character facing the condition, being recently awarded the Radio Times Soap Award for Best Storyline. And it turns out that acting success runs in the family, as his cousin William Ash has also cemented a succe.