Coronation Street: Sheffield couple who met on First Dates to feature in national TV advertising campaign

A Sheffield couple who met on Channel 4's First Dates will feature in a national TV advertising campaign starting on Monday night.

Mike Sumner and wife Zoe, who live in Sheffield, will appear in one of three adverts from the Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association charity, produced in partnership with the beloved TV soap, Coronation Street.

The 'Coronation Street Presents...' advert will tell the story of Mike, who is living with MND, and Zoe. Mike was diagnosed with the disease in 2020 shortly after meeting Zoe on First Dates. They became friends and then friendship turned to love, and the couple married in 2022.

The powerful and highly emotive campaign shows the brutality of MND, which destroys people’s bodies and lives and takes so much, while also highlighting the hope - the one thing the disease can’t take is ‘The Love Inside’. The advert will share their formidable connection as they deal day-to-day with the devastating toll MND takes on Mike’s body.

Mike said: “It was important for me to take part because there's so much about MND that's negative and I don't like to admit defeat, so I thought it was important to do something positive in whatever way I could. Since I was diagnosed there are many things I can no longer do but raising awareness is something I can still do, so I thought why not? 

“I have always been interested in film and TV, so it was really interesting to see all the work that goes into filming. I hope the campaign makes more people Google MND and if only one more person understands or volunteers for the MND Association, then it's been worth it.”

The campaign reflects Coronation Street’s current storyline charting popular character, Paul Foreman’s journey with MND. The team at the MND Association has been supporting the soap with the portrayal of Paul’s character to ensure an accurate depiction as the disease progresses.

The first of the three adverts will air during tonights Coronation Street advert break.

Tanya Curry, Chief Executive at the MND Association said: “From the outset we wanted the campaign to focus on real people and we are so grateful to Mike and Zoe for supporting this campaign and allowing us to tell the story of their love, vulnerability, and bravery through these incredibly moving films.

The launch will be followed by subsequent adverts at pivotal points in Paul’s  storyline over the coming months. These will tell the stories of Mike Small who now relies on eye-driven technology to communicate. Also featured are Louise Jordan and her husband Rob. Sadly, just weeks after filming, Louise, who was diagnosed with MND in 2021, died. Her wish, and that of the family, is that the campaign, including the advert featuring her, go ahead.

MND is a fatal, rapidly progressing disease that affects the brain and spinal cord. It attacks the nerves that control movement so muscles no longer work. It can leave people locked in a failing body, unable to move, talk and eventually breathe. It affects more than 5,000 adults in the UK at any one time and has no cure.