ITV soap Coronation Street has enlisted the help of a survivor from the 2017 Manchester Arena bombings, who is eager to share their story with two of the show’s most beloved actors
A Manchester Arena bomb survivor is helping Coronation Street with a truly heartbreaking storyline.
Martin Hibbert and his wife Gabby met Corrie star Alan Halsall, who plays Tyrone Dobbs, and Jennie McAlpine, who plays on-screen wife Fiz, to share their experience of living with a spinal cord injury. The couple will be helping out with research into Tyrone’s spinal injury storyline.
Martin was left paralysed from the waist down after suffering 22 shrapnel wounds during the horrifying attack in 2017. The incident happened during an Ariana Grande concert and was the deadliest act of terrorism and first suicide bombing in the UK since the 2005 London bombings.
22 people were killed, 1,017 were injured and the Manchester Arena’s foyer was completely destroyed.
Martin said: “I’m so impressed that Coronation Street has chosen to tell this important story. Spinal cord injury can happen to anyone, at any time, and having such a big TV programme shine a light on the realities of living with it will make a huge difference.”
ITV viewers have seen Tyrone’s recovery suffer a huge setback after the character fell out of his wheelchair while home alone during a seriously heartbreaking scene. Tyrone actor Alan Hallsall said: “We are so grateful to Martin and Gabby for giving up their time to talk to us about their experiences.”
“We might be telling this story on screen but at the end of the day we go home to our family and friends and leave behind what the characters are going through.”
Jennie also added: “For Fiz, trying to juggle family life and caring for Tyrone is really difficult. It was invaluable for us to meet them both and hear Gabby’s side of their story, for them their lives changed in an instant in so many ways and that is what Fiz is having to deal with whilst looking after Tyrone.”
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