The atmosphere on Coronation Street these days is no longer bustling, but instead is filled with sobs.

Paul Foreman – a man who was once strong, cheerful and devoted to his family – is now on a desperate journey to fight against amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (MND).

With each passing day, he gradually loses the ability to speak, walk, and then, even his breathing gradually weakens.

In recent episodes, Paul has begun to stutter and lose his voice – a scary sign of the final stage of the disease.

Viewers were heartbroken when they saw him looking at his wedding photo with Billy, his husband who was always by his side, and then quietly burst into tears. The climax happened when Paul fell down the stairs while trying to move with his weak legs, causing the whole family to panic. Summer – his adopted daughter – burst into tears when the doctor said he “doesn’t have much time left”.

But what brought millions of viewers to tears was Paul’s choice: he decided to actively end his life before the disease took everything he had left. Before leaving, Paul and Billy had an emotional farewell moment – ​​they listened to the wedding song again, as a promise. In the final scene, Billy held Paul’s hand tightly, his eyes filled with pain but also sparkling with boundless love.

Paul’s funeral was one of the most expensive scenes of “Coronation Street”. Each familiar character – Bernie, Gemma, Summer – burst into tears, creating a mournful, hauntingly realistic atmosphere. Although it was a role, Peter Ash’s performance (playing Paul) made it impossible for viewers to distinguish between film and reality.

Behind the tragedy on screen, actor Jonathan Wrather – who played Paul’s father – revealed his real life story: his father in real life was also battling MND. It was this experience that made him immerse himself in the role more deeply, and made the audience feel the pain of both the character and the actor.

“Coronation Street” not only tells a sad story, but also a tribute to the people who live every second in the fight against illness. A reminder that sometimes, courage is not about continuing to live, but about daring to die peacefully.