Coronation Street spoilers follow.
Coronation Street star Gareth Pierce has explained why his character Todd Grimshaw wasn't present for Paul Foreman's final episode this week.
The ITV soap aired emotional scenes on Monday (September 9) as Paul passed away in hospital with family members Bernie, Gemma and Summer by his side.
Tragically, Paul's husband Billy missed his chance for a final moment with him as he wasn't able to get to the hospital in time.
Meanwhile, although Todd had become a close confidant for Paul during the Motor Neurone Disease (MND) storyline, he wasn't part of the final episode.
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Speaking exclusively to Digital Spy on the red carpet at the National Television Awards, Gareth explained: "In the most recent episode where Paul died, Todd wasn't there. Initially I was like: 'I'm not sure about that'.
"But as far as Todd and Paul are concerned, they said their goodbye in the special episode a month or so ago.
"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.
"Pete [Ash, who played Paul] has done such an amazing job. His commitment to the role – and the truth that he's played it with – has just been amazing for all of us who have been supporting the storyline."
Related: Coronation Street reveals emotional aftermath of Paul Foreman's death
Todd will continue to feature in the storyline over the coming weeks, as he supports Billy and Summer following Paul's death.
This is partly in a professional capacity, due to Todd's job at the local undertakers.
Gareth continued: "We're definitely going to be playing a lot of the aftermath of Paul's death.
"From a personal perspective for Todd, that's about the hierarchy of grief. Obviously Billy's grief takes precedence. So does Bernie's as a mother – the thought of losing your son or daughter is unfathomable, really.
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"Gemma has lost not just a brother but a twin brother, while Summer has lost a father figure.
"So I think you'll see Todd slightly hiding behind his role as an undertaker, because he's dealing with death day in, day out. I think that there are small windows for Todd to accept and deal with his own grief. He's more thinking 'I've got a job to do here'. That's interesting to explore."
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.
