Coronation Street teams up with Motor Neurone Disease charity for ad campaign
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
Coronation Street spoilers follow.
Coronation Street has teamed up with a Motor Neurone Disease (MND) charity for a major advertising campaign.
The soap has been working with the Motor Neurone Disease Association for an ongoing storyline that has seen Paul Foreman diagnosed with the life-shortening condition.
MND is a neurodegenerative condition that causes the progressive loss of the motor neurons that control voluntary muscle movement. The disease affects 5,000 adults in the UK at any given time and has no cure.
The next phase of the storyline aired Monday night (January 29), alongside a new ad campaign called ‘Coronation Street Presents…’ where the soap will highlight its commitment to raising awareness for the Motor Neurone Disease Association.
This recurring ad campaign begins with a spot narrated by Coronation Street cast member and charity ambassador Daniel Brocklebank, telling the real-life story of Mike Sumner and wife Zoe.
In the 60-second spot, viewers follow the story of how the pair grew from friends to partners before having to navigate the changes to Mike's body as MND took its toll.
These adverts will also introduce Louise Jordan and her husband Rob, as viewers learn about how they coped with Louise's MND diagnosis in 2021. Sadly, Louise passed away weeks after filming the ad.
Additional ‘Coronation Street Presents…' adverts will air over the coming months, to showcase the progression of the disease in the character Paul Foreman.
John Whiston, Managing Director of ITV Continuing Drama, said: "All of us, actors, writers, production team and our audience, have been on a journey of awareness about MND these last few months. And it feels like a really important journey as we start to understand the full impact of MND, not just on those with the disease, but also on their loved ones.
“This initiative helps cement our relationship with the MND Association and will hopefully bring even greater awareness of the disease to many more people, as well as information on what can be done to help.”
Over the last several months, viewers have watched Paul face the sobering realities of living with MND with the support of his partner Billy and family.
He has most recently received help in his day-to-day life from personal assistant Moses Ekundayo, though Moses has been suspended due to a misunderstanding with Paul's mum Bernie.
The soap has also explored the issue of patient-assissted death with this storyline, with Billy having promised to help Paul die with dignity if that's what he chooses in the future.
"The launch of this new campaign is an important moment for the charity, as we explore new ways of raising awareness of this devastating disease among a different audience," MNDA chief executive Tanya Curry has said.
“From the outset we wanted the campaign to focus on real people and we are so grateful to Mike and Zoe, Louise and Rob, and Mike for supporting this campaign and allowing us to tell the story of their love, vulnerability, and bravery through these incredibly moving films.
“The Coronation Street team’s fictional portrayal has taken MND into the homes of five million regular viewers and given us the opportunity to engage those people with the reality of the disease through this new campaign.
"Six people every day are diagnosed with MND in the UK and currently there is no cure. We hope these adverts, as part of a wider-reaching campaign, will deepen our connection with the Coronation Street audience, inspire support for our work and push us closer to achieving our vision of making MND treatable and ultimately curable.”
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.
You Might Also Like
