Coronation Street's Daniel 'in denial' about Sinead's death

\'Coronation Street\'s Daniel "is in denial" about Sinead\'s death.

Rob Mallard - who plays the son of Ken Barlow and Denise Osbourne - has confessed his character is struggling to cope with his devastating loss after Daniel\'s wife Sinead passed away from cancer late last year, leaving him to look after their son Bertie alone.

Asked how Daniel is handling Sinead\'s sad passing, he said: "He\'s not handling it at all. He is in denial, and is just trying to keep his head above water. All his attention is going to Bertie, he is not able to just sit and realise how much everything has changed, because he is focusing on his baby. Daniel feels as if he now has to be both Mum and Dad - which sounds like a simple thing to do, but he is completely without any clues as to what Sinead was offering that he is not offering. I don\'t think he has any concept of what he will actually need to be for Bertie. He will have to be good cop and bad cop."

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And Daniel has been "retreating back into himself" after the tragic news.

Rob added: "Daniel was on his own from the age of 14, so in his mind, when things get too complicated and start falling apart, he retreats back into himself. It\'s easier for him to cope this way because if anything goes wrong, it is him who has to deal with it."

The 27-year-old actor has loved working with Lucy Fallon (Bethany Platt).

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Asked what the best thing about working with Lucy Fallon, he told Inside Soap magazine: "Her sense of humour! She really makes me laugh, and it\'s a lot of fun. I\'ve been really lucky because both Lucy and Katie McGlynn (Sinead Tinker) have been absolutely brilliant. I get on with them both equally, it\'s a different relationship with both of them, and I am glad that I\'ve had the pleasure to work with Lucy before she leaves."