This article contains discussion of assisted dying, which some readers may prefer to avoid.
Coronation Street spoilers follow.
Coronation Street airs emotional scenes for Paul Foreman and Billy Mayhew next week as the show begins to explore the issue of assisted dying.
Paul shocks Billy by revealing that he'd like help to end his life at a later date, after his Motor Neurone Disease (MND) has developed.
The scenes air in next Monday's episode (July 24) after Paul attends an appointment at the MND clinic.
While there, Paul talks to Shelly, who he recognises from his MND support group.
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Paul is impressed by Shelly's positive attitude and listens to her advice. Shelly encourages Paul to take control and suggests that, if there's something he has always wanted to do, he should do it now.
Back at home, Paul tells Billy that Shelly has helped him to see things more clearly and he has something important to ask him.
Billy excitedly expects a marriage proposal and speaks to Summer Spellman about how a wedding could be on the cards.
Paul's real reason for the important conversation becomes clear when he tells Billy that, when the time comes, he'd like him to help him end his life. How will Billy react?
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Daniel Brocklebank, who plays Billy, revealed: "Billy is absolutely horrified. Because it not only goes against his own personal moral stance, but also his role as an archdeacon is very much about celebrating the life they've got left rather than terminating it.
"He wants them to have more time together, not less. So he's absolutely horrified that Paul is even considering it."
Daniel continued: "Billy is very fixated on the fact that Paul isn't christened and now he wants to end his life, so he is worried that he may not go to heaven and they won't see each other in the afterlife.
"If you compare it to the end-of-life conversations he had with Sinead – when he visited her deathbed, he was talking about the afterlife. That was beautifully written.
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"Sinead said: 'I'm scared that there could be nothing'. Billy said: 'But there's a peace in nothing. We'll get eternal life, we get the rest'.
"So his view on things is very different. I think there's a lot of reasons, both personally professionally and spiritually, why Billy is against the assisted dying thing."
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Coronation Street airs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm on ITV1 and streams on ITVX.
Read more Coronation Street spoilers on our dedicated homepage
Coronation Street has been working on Paul's storyline with support from the MND Association, which focuses on improving access to care, research and campaigning for people affected by motor neurone disease.
The charity's helpline MND Connect (0808 802 6262) is available Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm, and 7pm to 10.30pm. Calls are free.
