Coronation Street's Peter Ash details 'overwhelming' reaction to impending exit and atmosphere on set

Coronation Street star Peter Ash has spoken about the 'overwhelming' reaction to his latest storyline after viewers watched Paul Foreman being diagnosed with motor neurone disease.

Last month, Paul received the devastating news that he has the fatal, rapidly progressing disease that affects the brain and spinal cord. But the former builder, who only discovered anything was wrong after he was accidentally knocked over by Carla Connor in her Underworld van when she had been unknowingly drugged with LSD by Stephen Reid, has kept the news from his loved ones.

He had only confided in his friend and former flatmate Dee-Dee Bailey but last week, fans of the ITV soap saw his partner Billy Mayhew discover the truth. After discovering Paul was going to court, he also headed to the courthouse, unaware he had been stealing cars to fix his money woes.

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But unbeknown to Paul, Billy too heads into the courthouse and Paul is horrified to see him there. The magistrate addresses Paul and tells him that in light of his serious medical condition, MND, he’ll receive a suspended sentence, leaving Billy in shock.

On the scenes to come after Billy discovered the truth, Daniel Brocklebank, who plays Billy, told the Manchester Evening News: "They were brutal [to film]. I came home exhausted after that day.

"Pete and I had done some filming that day with Rob Burrow which i think added to the intensity of filming them. Obviously having spent the afternoon with someone with advanced MND, and such a hero like Rob who has made such a huge impact on the MND community and MND association, I think it added to that day.

"And they're heartbreaking. Even during the read through, Pete