Coronation Street's Paul dies in heartbreaking scenes - but Billy's too late to say goodbye
The character slipped away with mum Bernie, twin sister Gemma and adoptive daughter Summer by his side.
This article includes description of terminal illness and death that some readers may find upsetting.
Paul Foreman (Peter Ash) took his last breaths in tonight's heartbreaking edition of Coronation Street (9th September 2024) - with his devastated husband Billy Mayhew (Daniel Brocklebank) missing Paul's final moments.
Having dedicated his life to caring for Paul, who was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in April 2023, Billy was persuaded to take a break, joining David Platt (Jack P Shepherd) and Todd Grimshaw (Gareth Pierce) for drinks at the Chariot Square hotel.
The morning after, a hungover Billy was teased by adoptive daughter Summer Spellman (Harriet Bibby) as he discovered he had lost his phone, which contained all his memories with Paul.
As Summer, and Paul's mum Bernie Winter (Jane Hazlegrove), took charge of looking after Paul, Billy left to retrace his steps - and he and an equally weary David returned to the hotel together, eventually finding his battered phone and heading to a shop to replace it.
But at the flat, Paul struggled for breath, and when Bernie realised that Paul could die today, her younger son Kit Green (Jacob Roberts) rushed off to track down Billy, as they had no way of contacting him.
Summer called an ambulance, but it took 15 minutes to arrive, and during the wait, Paul managed to utter Billy's name as he longed to see his husband.
Bernie begged trainee paramedic Asha Alahan (Tanisha Gorey) and her colleague to keep Paul alive for as long as possible as he was taken to hospital.
Kit found Billy and relayed the distressing news about Paul, but traffic blocked their way out and Billy was forced to make a run for it.
A doctor informed the family that Paul had several blood clots in his lungs, and his heart was failing.
His twin sister Gemma Winter-Brown (Dolly-Rose Campbell) joined Bernie and Summer at his bedside to say their goodbyes, and they reached Billy on the phone.
Just as they placed the phone near Paul and Billy prepared to speak to him, Paul took one last long breath, and Bernie, Gemma and Summer realised that Paul had died.
But Bernie took the decision to keep this from Billy, allowing him to tell Paul how much he loved him as she let him think that Paul was still alive to hear it.
Billy finally made it to the hospital, just as a doctor was confirming Paul's death, and he sobbed over Paul's body.
This marked the end of a moving and powerful portrayal of motor neurone disease, as actor Ash bows out after six years in the role.
For information and support on all aspects of motor neurone disease, visit the MND Association's website or call the charity on 0808 802 6262.
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