In a moving episode of Coronation Street, which will air on ITV, fans will witness the reality of Motor Neurone Disease through Paul Foreman’s eyes. The episode is dedicated to the late sports hero Rob Burrow.
A moving episode of Coronation Street will premiere, centered around a day in the life of Paul Foreman, who has motor neurone disease (MND).
This Friday, July 26, at 8 p.m., is a special episode that will honor the legacy of Rugby League legend Rob Burrow, who sadly passed away from MND last month.
On Friday, June 19, an ITV Studios promo for the program will premiere. Written by Debbie Oates, produced by Verity MacLeod, directed by Vicky Thomas, and lasting an hour, the episode is expected to transport viewers to a poignant place as Billy and Paul cherish a unique day together, mindful that every second could be their last.
Billy has arranged a happy day with the help of family and friends after learning that Paul can no longer safely use the stair lift to leave the apartment. Actor Peter Ash will narrate Paul’s inner thoughts and emotions as he experiences the day alongside him after discovering that his speech has considerably degraded when he wakes up from a dream.
We’ll hear Paul’s innermost thoughts as he wrestles with the reality of his limited time left, from visiting the church where they got married to enjoying beer bubbles in the Rovers and spending time with loved ones.
“Paul’s MND has been such an important, powerful story, and this episode is one of the real pinnacle moments in Paul’s journey,” said show producer Verity MacLeod during her speech on the Corrie special. This is something Coronation Street has never done before; it is remarkable, tragic, humorous, and lovely.
“Television at its finest must be seen! In this episode, we wanted to highlight how Paul’s speech has gotten worse because of his motor neurone illness, making it impossible for him to communicate with his loved ones without the help of technology, which, although incredibly advanced, can be cumbersome and slow.”
She went on, “Paul’s personality hasn’t altered, but his brain is still fully engaged. He is still the quick-witted, cheeky chappie that we met in 2018 and he still has a wicked sense of humor.
We boldly decided to show Paul’s internal monologue in order to convey this, and viewers may now appreciate Paul’s ideas free from the limitations of motor neuron disease. It offers a distinctive perspective on Paul’s challenges.
“All of the actors give excellent performances, but Peter Ash and Dan Brocklebank stand out in particular. They really are amazing. Vicky Thomas’s direction and Debbie Oates’ writing are outstanding. We are all incredibly proud of this amazing episode.”
Actor Peter Ash, who plays Paul Foreman, stated in the meantime: “I’m really delighted to have worked on this episode. I could not stop crying, so I knew it was going to be something truly exceptional from the time I read the screenplay! It was a pleasure to capture Paul’s inner monologue, demonstrating to us that despite MND, the mind remains 100% functional. Everyone that was involved gave it their all, so I hope the audience appreciates it!”
Sports hero Rob Burrow played rugby for the Leeds Rhinos his whole professional career, amassing nearly 500 appearances and representing Yorkshire, England, and Great Britain. When Rob revealed he had MND in 2019, he was only 37 years old and the father of three children under the age of eight.
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