“The heartbreak is real.”

Coronation Street star Daniel Brocklebank has spoken about the final weeks ahead for Billy Mayhew and Paul Foreman’s emotional storyline.

The ITV soap has been exploring Paul’s experiences living with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) after he was diagnosed in April last year.

Paul will pass away within the next few weeks, as cast and crew were recently spotted filming his funeral episode on location.

Although Paul initially planned to take control of his own death at a time of his choosing, he has since told his husband Billy that he wants to live for as long as possible.

Daniel, who plays Billy, recently spoke to us about the story’s future while taking part in a photoshoot for the Inside Soap Awards 2024.

Digital Spy was granted exclusive video access to Corrie’s nominees photoshoot and you can see the full behind-the-scenes footage at the top of the page.

Discussing upcoming scenes, Daniel told Digital Spy: “It’s more of Billy and Paul coping with Paul’s decline.

“Obviously we are sadly coming toward the end of this story, so the audience would probably be best to keep a little box of tissues on the arm of your chair.

“As much as Billy, Bernie and Summer are all grieving Paul, we’re grieving Pete [Ash, who plays him], because we’re going to be losing one of our best mates. So the heartbreak is real.”

Asked whether Billy has much support from the Street’s residents, he joked: “He is sort of Billy no mates, really! He doesn’t have a large social circle. Of course, with him being an archdeacon, I think he’d probably find more solace in his faith.

“Billy also needs to support Summer. So there are other people around him who he would feel he has to support.”

The MND story has been recognised with several nominations in the Inside Soap Awards this year. Daniel and Peter are both up for Best Actor and Best Partnership, while the plot itself is up for Best Storyline.