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CORONATION Street star Peter Ash has hit back at homophobic "idiots" who criticised the show for showing Paul Forman and Billy Mayhew kissing.
The 33-year-old actor - who plays ex-con Paul in the ITV soap - and co-star Daniel Brocklebank received abuse on social media after their characters shared a passionate kiss on the cobbles.
Speaking exclusively to The Sun Online's Soap Bubble he said: "I know how it works online, I was expecting more to be honest, you know what it’s like with those [homophobic Twitter trolls] idiots online.
"It’s sad but unfortunately that’s just part of it these days, you’ve just got to expect it."
Peter and Dan were the subject of now-deleted tweets by an angry viewer who hit out at the show for showing the kiss at a time children could have been watching.
Peter's co-star Daniel Brocklebank questioned the man's comments and asked him to justify them and they were soon deleted.
And Peter was thrilled at how he handled it, saying: "Dan shut that down pretty quickly; he’s very good with that."
But despite the minority sending hate towards the relationship, Peter has found most viewers have been hugely supportive of his character's comeback.
He said: "It’s been great. I’ve seen nothing but positive remarks and that, they like the character so far which is great, really nice."
Dad of one Peter, was originally lined up for a few episodes last year as David Platt's prison cellmate but as The Sun Online revealed he impressed soap bosses and they quickly got to work bringing him back full-time.
He said: "It's amazing, it really is a dream job really as you know I did those little bits last year in the prison with Jack, I had no idea I’d be brought back. So when I thought they did have me back for a bit longer I was well made up, over the moon. "
And despite originally being unconnected with the street, for his permanent stint it was revealed Paul is Gemma Winter's twin brother.
Viewers have watched as Gemma has struggled to accept her brother being on the cobbles after it was revealed he had taken responsibility for a crime she was accused of.
And while he wouldn't be drawn on what Gemma had done, he did hint the story between the death of an old lady would come back to haunt Gemma, and viewers have seen him threatening to reveal a dark secret to Rita.
But it won't always be war between the siblings with Gemma just wanting to forget about her previous life as a criminal.
He said: "I think she thinks she’s put all of that part of her life behind her, and when Paul turns up, it brings a lot back for her. Even though Paul took the rap for her, I don’t think he’s ever made her forget that."
He added: "At the end of the day, they were at one point very close, they’re twins. I think they can, possibly they might fall out again. It’ll bring out a softer side for both of them."
And as viewers know Gemma comes from the same estate as Shona and her killer son Clayton who is soon to make a comeback in a daring prison escape.
But Peter has revealed Paul isn't involved in that, and only knows Clayton from afar.
He said: "We all kind of once lived in the same estate but I think nothing much closer than that from Paul's side, because obviously Paul has been in prison. Gemma was hanging out there after I went to prison, but yeah they all grew up on that estate, that rough estate."
However he does get involved a bit when Shona asks him for a favour. Peter added: "Paul does a little bit of research for Shauna, used to live on same street, that’s about it, nothing more than that. That’s the only connection to Clayton."
Having escaped the estate Paul found himself in the surprising position of meeting Billy and becoming involved with the former heroin addicted vicar.
And it's not just a fling, Peter revealed they could really have a future.
"There's definitely something genuine there," he added.
"I know some people were kind of thinking at first he’s probably just using him but there’s definitely an attraction there with Billy. Building on this it’ll be a lot deeper, so yeah, he’s not messing him about, not intentionally anyway."
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