Coronation Street star explains character’s unexpected absence from Paul’s death episode

Coronation Street star Gareth Pierce explained why his character Todd Grimshaw wasn’t present for Paul Foreman’s heartbreaking episode.

The truly tragic scenes which aired earlier this week (Monday September 9) brought an end to this chapter of Paul’s (Peter Ash) motor neurone disease journey, after his diagnosis almost 18 months ago.

We’ve seen his condition steadily grow worse during that time, first losing his mobility, and later struggling to speak.

In recent weeks, he’s had to rely on a ventilator when struggling to breathe. During Friday’s episode, he made brother Kit Green (Jacob Roberts) promise not to tell their mum Bernie Winter (Jane Hazlegrove) about a particular health episode, for fears she would stop Billy from enjoying a much-needed night out with the lads.

Speaking to Digital Spy on the red carpet at the National Television Awards, actor Gareth explained why Todd was absent during Paul’s final moments.

‘In the most recent episode where Paul died, Todd wasn’t there. Initially I was like “I’m not sure about that”,’ he said.

‘But as far as Todd and Paul are concerned, they said their goodbye in the special episode a month or so ago.’

He added: ‘It might have undercut that slightly if we’d had a repeat of that moment, so actually I think it was the right way. For all intents and purposes in that moment a while back, Todd thought that he was saying goodbye to his mate.’

During the 18 months that the story played out, we saw his condition steadily grow worse – first losing his mobility, and later struggling to speak.

Monday’s episode saw Paul’s husband Billy (Daniel Brocklebank) had no idea that his beloved had already slipped away.

As Billy stopped for breath, he picked up the phone and asked to speak with his partner. Bernie (Jane Hazlegrove), thinking she was doing the right thing, told him that Paul was still alive and listening.

On what the next few weeks hold for the family post-death, Pete previously said: ‘Billy and Bernie are obviously quite different in their approach to life and subsequently therefore death as well.’

‘They’re both grieving for somebody that they love, but both of them think they’ve got dibs on grief stakes, one as a mum and one as a husband.

‘Billy’s very traditional. The funeral’s coming up – Billy wants hymns, Bernie wants pop songs, Billy wants a hearse, Bernie wants something else. There is conflict over the next few weeks.’