CORONATION Street’s Daniel Osbourne is set for more heartache as baby Bertie is rushed into hospital with measles.
Rob Mallard – who plays Daniel on the ITV soap – has spoken out about his character’s controversial decision not to vaccinate Bertie as he struggles with the grief of losing his wife Sinead.
It all kicks off when Daniel notices that Bernie is barely conscious in Coronation Street.
The devoted father screams at Peter to call an ambulance, and immediately starts kicking himself for not noticing he was ill sooner when the paramedic points out a rash on Bertie’s back.
Later, after the baby is rushed into hospital, the consultant confirms that he has contracted measles.
Daniel sheepishly admits to Peter that he didn’t take Bertie for the rest of his vaccinations as he couldn’t bear to see the baby in pain or make him cry.
Things escalate later in the week, when it’s revealed that Maria has suffered a miscarriage after contracting measles.
A furious Gary seeks out Daniel to rage at him for not vaccinating Bertie, blaming him for the death of his unborn baby.
Daniel is on the edge when it’s revealed that the next 24 hours will be critical for Bertie, and screams at his family to leave him alone.
The grieving widower is left fearing the worst as he waits by Bertie’s side overnight.
But the baby’s fate is yet to be confirmed by the ITV soap, and fans will have to tune in and see whether Daniel is set for even more heartache.
Talking about the heart-breaking storyline, Rob – who plays Daniel – spoke to Digital Spy about the heart-breaking storyline: “Daniel immediately feels guilt and then fear, because it doesn’t occur to him that it has gone beyond Bertie to begin with.”
“He thinks that getting Bertie’s jabs would have been something that Sinead would have been able to do without flinching, so he is ashamed of that failure. He doesn’t realise the wider implications at all.”
Rob touched on his character’s reasons not for vaccinating his baby: “Daniel didn’t take Bertie back for his jabs because it was too upsetting for Daniel and he couldn’t deal with how upset Bertie was.”
“Bertie didn’t really cry at all during Sinead’s death, and now that she has gone, he is afraid of making Bertie cry because what if Sinead is the only thing that can stop Bertie from crying?
“He doesn’t want to find out whether or not he will actually be able to calm him down.”
