MND on the Corrie cobbles
People with MND, and volunteers and staff from the MND Association have been working alongside the team at ITV’s Coronation Street for almost two years as character Paul Foreman has been diagnosed with, and then lived with, motor neurone disease.
Viewers initially saw Paul starting to struggle with his grip – dropping glasses and mis-throwing darts – back in April 2023. Since then, actor Peter Ash has sympathetically portrayed Paul’s increasing physical disabilities, the loss of his voice, the financial hardships and the social difficulties he’s faced. Meanwhile, Association ambassador Daniel Brocklebank, as Paul’s husband Billy, has demonstrated the enormous challenges faced by unpaid carers.
Paul is now confined to a wheelchair and barely able to leave the flat he and Billy share on the country’s most famous Street. He relies on technology to communicate and on carers to support his every day needs.
We’re raising awareness of MND and our work through a series of films during the Coronation Street ad breaks and accompanying campaign. Add your name to show your support for people affected by MND, or donate to help us find a cure.”
Paul’s MND diagnosis
What is motor neurone disease?
Motor neurone disease (MND) affects the nerves known as motor neurones. These nerves are found in the brain and spinal cord and they help tell your muscles what to do. MND affects your movement and is a progressive disease. We have lots of information on what is MND and its symptoms in the About MND section of our website.
I am experiencing similar symptoms to Paul. Do I have MND?
There is information on our website about the early signs of MND. If you have any concerns at all, please speak to your GP in the first instance.
What they are showing on screen isn’t how it is for me. Why aren't they being factual?
Everyone's experience of MND is different with diagnosis and symptoms starting at different stages, in different orders and with different impacts. The team at Coronation Street are showing one person’s progression and one person's experience without suggesting that is what happens to everyone. And of course, Coronation Street is a drama and there has to be a certain amount of artistic license. From what we've seen so far we are confident that our community will recognise conversations, situations, challenges and solutions they themselves have faced. We are really grateful to the scriptwriters and production team at Coronation Street for the time and effort they have taken so far to get this right for the MND community.
What other aspects of MND are they going to show on Coronation Street?
We aren't able – and wouldn't want – to share any spoilers! We are continuing to work with the Coronation Street team and are sharing information about the progression of the disease, the impact on the person and those close to them and the kind of challenges they may face. Of course, the decision about what is and isn’t shown is entirely up to them but we are confident they are taking their responsibility to portray MND on screen as accurately as possible.
More information about Paul Foreman
Paul Foreman is a former builder who lives with his husband Billy Mayhew.
Paul is played by Peter Ash, and Billy is played by Daniel Brocklebank. Daniel is a long-standing Ambassador for the Association in tribute to his grandfather who died of MND 20 years ago.
Listen to the bonus podcast episode on Conversation Street which features Daniel Brocklebank, who plays Billy Mayhew and Chris James, from the MND Association. Daniel talks about his involvement in the current MND storyline alongside some of his highlights of his time on Coronation Street.
Your questions about the Coronation Street storyline, answered
Has the actor Peter Ash got MND? Did they consider using an actor with MND?
No, Peter Ash, the actor who plays Paul, doesn't have MND. The Coronation Street team felt the storyline would work best by having a well-known and much-loved character diagnosed with MND to following the story from pre-diagnosis.
Has the Association helped shape the storyline?
Yes. The Coronation Street team approached us back in the autumn of 2022, confidentially, to say they were considering introducing a character with MND. We have worked with them ever since, discussing the disease, the symptoms, the options for story progression, the impact on the person living with the disease and those around them, and the challenges.
Why hasn't the MND Association been mentioned on Coronation Street?
As a production company they aren’t allowed to give what is called 'undue prominence' to an organisation / charity / group / product etc. In the same way Coronation Street can’t have a product placement advert for Cadbury or McDonalds on the bus stop for example, they can’t mention the Association. We are however working with them to create opportunities running alongside the programme so, for instance, on social media, through interviews with the cast and through activity directly with us – on our podcast, in Thumb Print etc
What is the Association's take on having MND featured on prime-time television?
So many people in our community talk to us about how important awareness is and how much they want us to educate the public, so they don’t have to explain themselves or the disease to people. Imagine having a terminal illness and then having to explain what it is, repeatedly. We are working hard to change that and the kind of awareness that has come from this storyline is helping.
Six million viewers are watching a character living through an MND diagnosis and what happens next. In doing so, they are gaining a better understanding of what MND is, the impact on the person and, just as importantly, on those around them. People in the MND community often say it’s not a community that anyone would ever want to be part of but, once you are, it is a community offering support, love and time to each other. We have seen the value of that community support as character Paul’s loved ones and neighbours have rallied around him.
I'm not happy with how MND has been portrayed on Coronation Street
Coronation Street is fictional dramatic entertainment, and it is not intended to be a factual documentary. Much of what happens needs to be dramatic or unusual in order to be entertaining. We know there might be elements of Paul's MND diagnosis storyline that some people will not be comfortable with, but the Coronation Street team are taking their responsibility to the MND community very seriously and are continuing to work with us.
As part of our ongoing work with the team we are passing on to the programme makers any comments we receive about the episodes featuring MND.
We’d like to invite the actors involved to come to a branch and group / fundraising / volunteering event
Peter Ash and Daniel Brocklebank are keen to do as much as they can to support the MND community but of course this has to be balanced with their work and personal commitments. Our Head of VIP Liaison is working with the Coronation Street team, Peter and Daniel to maximise the support they are able to give us. Please email any requests to [email protected] in the first instance.
Where can I watch Coronation Street?
Coronation Street airs 8pm – 9pm on ITV1 on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and is available on catch up on the ITVX website.
For more information about the soap visit the Coronation Street website.