Coronation Street favourite Rob Mallard, known for playing Daniel Osbourne on the ITV soap, has sadly shared an update on his health.
The actor suffers from a degenerative condition and sadly, doctors have said that "nothing can be done" to completely reverse his condition.
The actor disclosed details of his health during an appearance on BBC's Morning Live in Manchester. He was diagnosed with the degenerative illness when he was just 14 years old and since then he's been gradually dealing with essential tremors.
Speaking candidly to hosts Gethin Jones and Helen Skelton on Wednesday, 15 May, Rob opened up about the effects of his tremors and shed light on the nervous system disorder, that triggers involuntary shaking of body parts.
Rob recalled noticing the onset of his tremor back in secondary school days. He spent nearly a year in medical tests including thyroid checks and brain scans, as doctors were initially unsure about his condition.
Rob said: "They came back and said I had an essential tremor and there was nothing they could do for me, to 'come back if your symptoms get worse and we can try and control them'. Because they told me there was nothing I could do about it, I just put it to the back of my mind and tried to forget about it," reports the Daily Star.
But despite being advised not to overthink it, Rob quickly realised he needed support sooner than anticipated. Reflecting on the past, he shared that his condition dramatically deteriorated in his 20s, which was when he acknowledged the need for help.
"That was when I really got the full scope of it and realised it could be quite degenerative over time," Rob confessed.
He also opened up about how it impacted his acting career, including an audition for Emmerdale before landing his role on Corrie.
Rob recalled that during his Emmerdale audition, the producers were impressed with his performance but sensed his nervousness. They worried this might translate into issues on set.
Yet, at the time, no one was aware of his health struggles, prompting him to open up about his degenerative condition to his agent. After sharing his situation with the Emmerdale casting team and explaining his pain management strategies, they decided to cast him.
Reflecting on this pivotal moment, Mallard expressed his gratitude towards the production team for their trust. "So it almost cut me off at that point, so if I hadn't have been honest about it then I might not have got the job," he said with a smile.
