Coronation Street joins forces with Manchester bomb survivor for harrowing storyline
Coronation Street bosses have enlisted the help of a victim of the 2017 Manchester bomb attacks to give advice on a harrowing storyline involving mechanic Tyrone Dobbs
Coronation Street bosses have enlisted the help of a victim of the 2017 Manchester bomb attacks to give advice on a harrowing storyline. Fans of the world's longest-running TV soap will know that mechanic Tyrone Dobbs, who has been played by Alan Halsall since 1998, has been left unable to walk and is coming to terms with the prospect of a potentially lifelong spinal injury.
Martin Hibbert attended the concert of pop star Ariana Grande on May 22 2017 with his daughter Eve, then 14, and towards the end of the show, suicide bomber Salman Abedi launched an attack that claimed the lives of 22 people. Martin was the closest casualty to the bomb blast to survive, and underwent life-saving surgery.
Now the the Vice President of the Spinal injuries association, Martin, whose daughter sustained a brain injury as a result of the attack, teamed up with Alan and his co-star Jennie McAlpine, who plays his on-screen wife Fiz, to discuss the day-to-day realities of being confined to a wheelchair, which recently saw Tyrone fall onto the floor and unable to move until his long-lost mother Cassie Plummer (Claire Sweeney) came in to help.
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.
"By showing that ordinary people can be affected, it helps to raise awareness, break down barriers and start vital conversations about life after injury. It was an honour for Gabby and I to share our experience and see first-hand the care and respect the team are putting into getting this right.”
Alan and Jennie were delighted to be able to meet Martin and his wife Gabby and get some real insight into the life of someone living with, or caring for someone with such a life changing injury.
Alan 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.
"Even just trying to negotiate getting round the set in the wheelchair has been a real eyeopener for me so to hear Martin’s own stories about how his life has changed has been really helpful and also humbling.”
Jennie 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.”
Earlier this year, Tyrone was landed in hospital after being injured in a hit and run. To avoid Betsy Swain (Sydney Martin) in the precinct, a car swerved and ended up hitting Tyrone - before the driver drove away in a hit and run and has kickstarted a started a new storyline for the mechanic as he suffers a severe spinal injury and will face a long road to recovery. In the coming months viewers will see Tyrone’s struggle to deal with the mental and physical effects of the injury which will put real strain on his and Fiz’s marriage.
This is not the first time Coronation Street has worked in support of victims of the attack. PR worker and Corrie super fan Martyn Hett, who famously sported a tattoo of Deirdre Barlow on his leg, was killed in the blast, and his funeral was attended by several of the soap's stars including Jennie, as well as Kym Marsh, Antony Cotton and Helen Worth. When the programme unveiled its set extension the following year, it was revealed that they had dedicated a bench to Martyn and all the other victims.
At the time, ITV said: "In memory of our friend Martyn Hett and all the victims of the Manchester bombing on Monday night we will be dedicating a bench on the Coronation Street set to remember everyone affected by the atrocity.
"The dedication will be planned in the coming weeks following an outpouring of affection for 29-year-old Corrie superfan Martyn and all those who lost their lives and have been injured following the Manchester Arena bombing. The bench will be positioned in the new extension to the Coronation Street which is in the early stages of construction at the programme’s Trafford site and the transcription will be as follows: For Martyn and all those who lost their lives on 22nd May 2017. We Stand Together."
Coronation Street is on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8pm on ITV and STV and is available on ITVX and STVPlayer from 7am