Coronation Street's Daniel Brocklebank has paid tribute to co-star Peter Ash, in the aftermath of emotional scenes involving his character Paul.
Wednesday night's (January 3) episode of the soap aired heart-breaking developments related to Paul's battle with Motor Neurone Disease (MND). It was a difficult day for Paul, as he received his electronic speech assistance device to help when he eventually loses the ability to speak.
After cancelled holiday plans led to a day-drinking session with David, he later had a fall as he attempted to go to the toilet unassisted, resulting in him having an accident.
Related: Coronation Street fans surprised by unexpected reference to past character
These events were a cause of embarrassment for Paul and after a row with Billy, he later reached out to Todd.
He confirmed to his friend that he has decided to move forward with the assisted dying plan he had previously told him about – a plan that his husband Billy is completely against.
What to Read Next
Brocklebank, who plays Billy, took to Instagram to pen a sweet post in praise of Ash and his performance.
He said: "I adore this chap and he's absolutely smashing this storyline. Proud to call him my friend. Excellent work @peterash_85."
Brocklebank has a personal connection to Corrie's MND storyline, as his grandfather sadly died from the progressive disease.
In his post, he also went on to praise those involved in the storyline, and the effect it has had in raising awareness of MND.
Related: Coronation Street fans to face longer wait for next episode
"So proud of our team highlighting the difficulties people living with MND, their families and carers go through," he said. "By telling this story we're raising awareness and hopefully helping to find a cure for this cruel disease."
Ash replied to his on-screen husband's post, commenting: "Right back at ya, buddy!"
The two actors received a lot of praise for their performances in the comment section, including from Liam Mccheyne, who plays Dylan in the ITV soap, who simply wrote: "Both amazing", alongside a heart emoji.
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.
