Coronation Street star Jane Hazlegrove discusses Bernie's tragic Christmas twist
Coronation Street spoilers follow.
Coronation Street star Jane Hazlegrove has discussed her family's tragic Christmas storyline.
Jane plays Bernie Winter on the soap, the mum of Paul Foreman ,who is set to receive devastating news ahead of the holiday season.
Coronation Street has already confirmed that Paul, who has motor neurone disease (MND), will be told by doctors that he has only six to 12 months left to live.
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Speaking about how Bernie and her family feel after hearing the news, Jane said: "When they discover that he only has six to 12 months to live she is thinking, 'Can it get any worse for them?'
"They've all been holding on to the fact that he's in the chair now, it's gone from the cane to the chair and that's been quite rapid. But it's always that thing that maybe, the chair is going to be another six months that things will move more slowly.
"But this news is devastating. There's nowhere for them to go really now. Bernie is struggling to be positive, there are other things going on with the family with Joseph being poorly and she wants to be strong for them all but even she feels a bit beaten now by it all."
Bernie will face a further struggle during the festive season when she finds herself on the wrong side of the law and possibly set to miss what could be Paul's final Christmas.
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However, Jane says Bernie will pretend things aren't so bleak when the police come knocking at her door.
"Yet again the positive Bernie comes to the fore," Jane said. "She is convinced they have nothing on her and that everything is going to be fine.
"That's what she's spreading. That's the face that she's wearing. There's a little voice that's going, 'This could be a horrific'. Her time could be up but she's still she's still got the mask on."
But while Bernie is putting on a brave face, inside Jane says she is "full of upset and self-loathing".
Related: Coronation Street announces special Christmas episode for Peter and Carla Barlow
The actress added: "She's done it again and when they need her the most because Gemma is struggling as well. When they need her the most she's not going to be there again. She should have that kind of tattooed on her arm as a reminder.
"Because it's just another pattern, isn't it? And it is the truth she has never been needed more and she has let them down. By trying to help them, she hasn’t thought through the possible consequences and now they are the ones paying the price of potentially not having her around. She’s in a mess."
But, despite everything, Jane says Bernie's relationship with Dev is still strong and he's been a great support for her.
"I think sometimes the things she does can put a bit of a wedge between them but so far, he’s been supportive," Jane added. "I love their relationship, they are both single parents, they have had lives before each other and they get on like a house on fire. I love working with Jimmi [Harkishin]."
Coronation Street airs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm on ITV1 and streams on ITVX.
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