Coronation Street spoilers: Billy is frantically worried for abused Paul as he denies being raped as a teenager

BILLY Mayhew will grow even more concerned about lover Paul Foreman in Coronation Street next week as the troubled character continues to deny his abusive past.

As twisted Kel continues to get his feet firmly under the table with Bernie, Paul struggles to cope.

During a night out at the Rovers with his sister Gemma, plus Chesney, Rita, Kel and Bernie, Paul directs snide remarks at his mum.

But later, in the loos, he’s cornered by Kel who tells him he needs to move on from the past. Paul is left stunned and reveals he can’t pretend nothing happened between them.

Billy – Daniel Brocklebank – tries to speak to Paul about his past in the café, but Paul flies off the handle at him.

He says that he may well have had underage sex but he argues that he gave full consent. A troubled Billy tries to explain that – at fourteen – Paul was too young to give consent at all.

When Paul – Peter Ash - storms off, Billy Is horrified to see Kel collecting little Joseph from school in his car.

The vicar invites Joseph to join him and Summer for tea. It’s not long before Paul – clearly in turmoil – is on the verge of opening up , but Bernie interrupts.

Later, Billy is puzzled when he sees Paul in the Rovers playing happy families with Bernie, Kel, Gemma and Ches.

When Bernie passes around some old photos it suddenly dawns on Paul how young he was compared to adult Kel. Shaken, Paul leaves the pub.

Billy soon tracks a shocked Paul down to Victoria Street where he finds him knocking back booze. Soon Paul stuns him as he admits all the things he’s been blocking out which come flooding back.

Billy gently tries to explain to Paul that he was groomed and abused but, as Paul breaks down, Billy is floored by the depth of his denial.

Paul will struggle to come to terms with what happened to him but go on to fight for justice.

And Bernie will find it difficult to cope with the fact that she had no idea what was going on under her own roof.

Coronation Street producers and writers have been working closely with Survivors Manchester on the story.

Producer Iain MacLeod said: "Gemma and Paul’s family background has always been fascinating to me - the inseparable bond of twins but with a huge fault-line down the middle, which we’ve hinted at but never explained.

"This story sensitively explores something that is tragically all too common in families in the real world and will highlight the way these painful events still reverberate many years later.

";It will, I hope, allow people who have survived similar abuse and perhaps suffered in silence to find their voice and speak up."

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