Paul gets his proof!

Corrie’s Paul will finally expose Todd’s scheming – but is it too late for him to win Billy back? We ask actor Peter Ash

Todd finally gets his comeuppance in Coronation Street this week when he’s publicly exposed, ditched by Billy and arrested by the police. The architect of his downfall is Paul, who gets hold of a video of Todd admitting his criminal plot to get Billy to dump Paul for him.

Paul, who ensures maximum humiliation for Todd by getting it screened in front of a gathering of shocked locals, has seen his life torn apart by his manipulative love rival and isn’t gloating.

‘I wouldn’t say it’s joyous,’ says Peter Ash, who plays him. ‘It’s bittersweet because he told Billy that Todd had been conniving against them all this time, but Billy didn’t believe him.’

Paul and Billy were happy together looking after Billy’s adopted daughter Summer when the vicar’s ex-boyfriend Todd returned to the Street last October and got to work undermining their relationship.

He bribed teenager Will to pretend to Paul he was being abused by a violent stepdad, knowing that compassionate Paul might break the rules of the charity helpline he was volunteering for, to help Will.

More recently, Todd paid Will to trash Billy’s flat, which had terrible consequences when Summer stumbled across the intruder, rushed outside and got run over. The plot worked, as Billy dumped Paul and banned him from seeing Summer. ‘Paul was gutted because he loves her,’ says Peter.

The week begins with Billy telling Mary he and Todd have booked their wedding, which devastates

Paul. ‘He’s not happy about it as he feels like he’s lost Billy,’ says Peter.

His suspicions about Todd are confirmed when Will confesses his

part in the plot and to prove it he sends Paul the incriminating video. Peter, who’s 36 and from Manchester, explains, ‘Todd’s bang to rights and admits on the tape how he’s been playing them from the beginning.’

Paul hatches a plan to get the footage played at the nude calendar launch party in Victoria Gardens and loads it onto a laptop, which he switches for Emma’s calendar computer. When she presses ‘Play’, the gathered residents see something far more shocking than they’d expected.

Billy stares at Todd in disgust and

makes a sharp exit before he, Summer and Paul watch Todd being carted off by police for stealing from Will.

Despite Paul still harbouring feelings for Billy, Peter reckons they might not get back together. ‘Paul thinks, “I’m glad the truth is out, but you never believed me, the trust has been damaged,”’ says Peter. ‘I enjoy playing the love triangle, but I think Paul needs someone new.

‘It’s too little, too late from Billy. But then who knows in soap! I can’t wait to see what’s next for Paul.’ ■