Coronation Street has sought the help of a 2017 Manchester Arena bombing survivor, who is keen to share their experience with two of the show’s most popular actors.
A survivor of the Manchester Arena bombing is assisting Coronation Street with a deeply moving storyline.
Martin Hibbert and his wife Gabby met Corrie stars Alan Halsall, who plays Tyrone Dobbs, and Jennie McAlpine, who plays his on-screen wife Fiz, to share their experiences living with a spinal cord injury. The couple will contribute to research for Tyrone’s spinal injury storyline.
Martin was left paralysed from the waist down after sustaining 22 shrapnel wounds during the 2017 attack at an Ariana Grande concert — the deadliest terrorist incident in the UK since the 2005 London bombings and the country’s first suicide bombing.
The attack claimed 22 lives, injured 1,017 people, and completely destroyed the foyer of the Manchester Arena.
Martin said: “I’m really impressed that Coronation Street has chosen to highlight this important story. Spinal cord injuries can happen to anyone at any time, and having such a widely watched TV show shed light on what it’s like to live with one will make a huge difference.”
ITV viewers have recently seen Tyrone’s recovery take a major setback after he fell out of his wheelchair while home alone in a deeply emotional scene. Actor Alan Halsall, who plays Tyrone, added: “We’re so grateful to Martin and Gabby for taking the time to share their experiences with us.”
“We may be telling this story on screen, but at the end of the day, we go home to our own families and friends, leaving behind whatever the characters are experiencing,” said Jennie.
She added: “For Fiz, balancing family life while caring for Tyrone is incredibly challenging. Meeting Martin and Gabby and hearing Gabby’s perspective was invaluable — their lives changed in an instant in so many ways, and that’s exactly what Fiz is facing as she looks after Tyrone.”
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