Coronation Street's Billy to discover Paul's diagnosis
Coronation Street spoilers follow.
Coronation Street has confirmed that Billy Mayhew will discover the truth about Paul Foreman's diagnosis in the coming days.
New spoiler pictures show that Billy will accompany Paul to an important hospital appointment in next week's episodes.
Paul was recently diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) but has chosen to keep it to himself rather than confiding in his loved ones.
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So far, Paul has only spoken to his best friend Dee-Dee Bailey and bad boy Damon Hay about what he's facing.
Next week, Paul awaits the news of whether he's eligible for treatment with a specialised drug, which could slow down the MND. Unfortunately, the odds aren't looking good as the drug is only suitable for a small percentage of people who are living with MND.
Billy accompanies Paul to his appointment with the MND specialist, also eager to hear what the decision is.
Later in the week, Billy looks for ways to create more happy memories with Paul.
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After Billy and Paul agree to go on holiday together, Billy pulls up in the church minibus and reveals that he has borrowed it for the trip.
Corrie has previously suggested that Billy could uncover the truth about Paul when he follows him to court later this week.
Another possibility is Billy finding out about Paul's diagnosis at Gemma and Chesney's upcoming wedding.
Earlier this year, Daniel Brocklebank – who plays Billy – spoke about what to expect when his character finds out what's going on.
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He told Digital Spy and other press: "Obviously Billy is an archdeacon and he was a vicar, so his job is very much about pastoral care. On a personal level, he's obviously going to be absolutely devastated that his partner has been given this diagnosis. But then I think his job skills will also help him to be a support for Paul.
"Billy will be able to help with the practical side of things. I think Billy will also want to show a strength and maybe he will leave his own personal emotions on the quieter side, because he won't want to make it about him when it's all about Paul.
"Grief affects people in different ways. I think if somebody is given a diagnosis that is terminal, people often start to grieve before they've lost someone.
"But with Billy being a vicar, we've seen him deal with death many times through my years of playing him – Sinead's death, Kylie's death, and all these other characters he's either buried or given some kind of support to during an illness.
"Billy will be able to offer that to Paul, but obviously he'll be dealing with his own grief as well."
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.
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