ITV Coronation Street favourite makes unexpected return as character ‘faces death’

Danger is looming for Billy Mayhew as the grief-stricken vicar continues to spiral out of control – but one character will return to save him from death.

Tragedy struck Coronation Street when Paul Foreman lost his battle with motor neurone disease, leaving his family and husband Billy in mourning. But while his mother Bernie bends over backwards to pay him the tribute he deserves with a launch of his ashes in space, the vicar portrayed by Daniel Brocklebank has struggled to cope with his grief.

Now, in scenes due to air this Wednesday, November 6 on ITV, Billy’s downward spiral takes a turn as he leaves a party dedicated to Paul to find an isolated spot behind the Underworld factory.

But just as he continues to isolate himself in the freezing cold, with a concerned Todd Grimshaw (Gareth Pierce) desperately looking for him in the Street, Billy receives the shocking visit of an unexpected character.

Billy was not keen to attend the recording of Paul’s ashes being launched into space at the Rovers, but Bernie (Jane Hazlegrove) and daughter Gemma (Dolly-Rose Campbell) were joined by the builder’s friends as they watched their beloved Paul take his final journey. Against all odds, Billy eventually showed up to the event but was in no mood for camaraderie in his drunken state.

Furious, he not only pulled the plug on the laptop, but branded the gathering, organised to celebrate Paul’s life, a farce. Guilt-ridden, after not being able to give Paul a proper goodbye and for making a pass at his ex-boyfriend Todd mere moments after his husband’s funeral, Billy spilled the beans, revealing he and Todd had also kissed.

All hell broke loose, with Billy rushing out before Gemma decided to give Todd the boot, despite him insisting his kiss with Billy meant nothing. Bernie received comfort from Dev Alahan (Jimmy Harkishin), allowing the pair to mend their relationship after butting heads over their finances.

Later on, Bernie paid Todd a visit and she was shocked to find how self-destructive Billy had really become after the funeral. But upon realising the vicar was missing, the undertaker set out to look for him.

Meanwhile, Billy sat outside the factory in the bitter cold, shivering and listening to voice clips of Paul until his phone battery ran out. Billy then received the shock of his life when Paul appeared before him, urging him to get up before he froze to death.

This comes after actor Daniel Brocklebank responded to theories that his character, who has been a part of the Manchester-based drama since 2014, could die. “He’s just hammered. He doesn’t want to go back to the flat, because everything in the flat reminds him of Paul and everything that they had together. Paul’s stuff is there, but Paul isn’t so what’s the point in being in the flat”, the soap star said.

During Paul’s ordeal with motor neurone disease, Billy took it upon himself to take care of his husband on a constant basis. With the builder now gone, “he’s got 24 hours every day to fill, and he doesn’t know how to fill them. He’s just filled with regret and despair and grief.”

“And so he goes and buys a bottle of whiskey and sort of just staggers across the road. I’m not entirely sure why. He chooses to just end up on a wooden crate behind the factory. He isn’t suicidal he is just beyond caring anymore”, Daniel explained. But death may not be in the cards for Billy.

“Ultimately, he’s quite an intelligent person, you know, emotionally and intellectually. And I think it’s just time that he needs”, the soap star continued. “Everybody deals with grief in different ways but something happens to him when he is drifting in and out of consciousness drunk and freezing cold and that will massively help him going forward.”