Coronation Street's Paul swears Dee Dee to secrecy after MND diagnosis

After solicitor and friend Dee Dee Bailey (Channique Sterling-Brown) sat in on the interview, Paul privately admitted that he was facing a terminal diagnosis, and that his symptoms had led to him swerving while driving.

Dee Dee revealed tonight that it had been proven Paul hadn't killed Rufus as the police initially suspected, but she added that he was still looking at criminal charges for theft.

After leaving the police station, Paul lied to his partner, Billy Mayhew (Daniel Brocklebank), that he had stayed at Dee Dee's the night before, before pretending that his hospital appointment had been cancelled.

So Dee Dee offered to join Paul at the hospital in Billy's place, and in the waiting room, Paul asked her to tell him about her time living in the US as a distraction.

The specialist soon called them in for Paul's appointment, where he was told that he had limb-onset MND and that he would need to be monitored, before confirming how quickly the disease is developing.

Paul was overwhelmed, and he rushed out to the car park where he broke down and sobbed in front of Dee Dee. Upon calming down, Paul apologised to Dee Dee, who insisted that he could shout or cry if he needed to.

Paul confided his past abuse trauma to Dee Dee, asking why he couldn't have a break from misery as he now knew he was going to lose his life to his illness.

When Paul wished he could have made something of his life to make his family proud, Dee Dee insisted that they already were, and that he needed to lean on them - and her - for support. But at home with Billy and Summer Spellman (Harriet Bibby), Paul didn't say a word about his difficult day.

Later, he went back to see Dee Dee, where he told her that he didn't want people to pity him and didn't want to be a burden. Although Dee Dee felt that Paul should be honest, Paul was adamant that he didn't want anyone else to know that he had MND. Will he have a change of heart?

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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