Rob Mallard, 27, is the third actor to play the character of Daniel Osbourne on Coronation Street, fulfilling a lifelong dream for himself. Rob said at the time of being cast: “It feels great to be starting work on Coronation Street and I’m looking forward to getting to know everyone. I grew up watching Coronation Street, so the chance to be in it, especially playing a part like Daniel, is very exciting.” Rob’s passion and hard work payed off when he was awarded the “Best Newcomer” award at The British Soap Awards 2017 for his performance.
Life seemed to be going from strength to strength until he started noticing slight tremors in his body.
His initial response to the tremors was to “hide and manage”.
However, the denial of his disease began to become obvious to those around him and fans began to notice him ‘shake’ during live TV.
Speaking to This Morning, Rob admitted: “Because of the job that I’m in, it can have a detrimental effect on my ability to get cast.
And then it was exposed on TV.
I was embarrassed and then angry. But then I started getting messages saying, ‘Me too’.”
Rob revealed on the show that he suffers from a progressive neurological disease.
I was about 14-years-old when I first started to notice it
Rob Mallard
He spoke to hosts, Holly Willoughby and Philip Schofield, that the disease is similar to Parkinson’s disease which entails having involuntary tremors in his hands and neck and that he in fact has been suffering from the disease since he was 14-years-old.
“I didn’t have it from birth, but I don’t remember not having it. I was about 14-years-old when I first started to notice it.
It manifests first in the hands, and then it can spread, so I sometimes get it in the back of my neck so my head will shake, which is I think what your viewers noticed last time,” Rob said.
Rob decided to admit his ill health to the world and explained: “It’s like I’ve been outed and if I am going to be out, I am going to own it.
“It’s a progressive disease, so by the time I’m 50, it could be in my voice box, down my back of the spine, the legs, the whole arms….It could be quite debilitating.”
The symptoms of Rob’s condition prove that it’s not just a condition affected by the elderly.
Known as an essential tremor, it is a nerve disorder which is characterised by uncontrollable shaking, or tremors, in different parts of the body.
The common areas affected include the hands, arms, head, larynx, tongue, or chin.
The condition rarely affects the lower body, and isn’t a life-threatening disorder.
The true cause of the condition is still not understood, but it’s thought that abnormal electrical brain activity is processed through the thalamus which is a structure deep within the brain in charge of coordinating and controlling muscle activity.
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