Rob Mallard has revealed his symptoms from his essential tremor are ‘slowing getting worse’, fearing it could end his career.
The Coronation Street actor, 32, who has played the role of Daniel Osbourne on the ITV hit soap since 2016, has been open about his slight tremor which he first noticed at the age of 14.
An essential tremor is a progressive neurological condition that causes shaking.
Although Rob has used many techniques over the years to help cope with the symptoms, some viewers have previously spotted his ‘shakes’ on the soap.
Rob’s shared that has condition now affects both his hands, arms, neck and on occasion his voice can shake.
Rob Mallard, 32, has revealed his symptoms from his essential tremor are ‘slowing getting worse’, fearing it could end his career
The Coronation Street actor, who has played the role of Daniel Osbourne on the ITV hit soap since 2016, has been open about his slight tremor which he first noticed at the age of 14
He told The Mirror: ‘In the last 10 years it has become a lot more pronounced and if it follows that trajectory in my personal life it’s going to be difficult and annoying.
‘Professionally it could be career-ending.
‘It has been suggested that wrap it into the character, which I’m not averse to, but I’d rather not do that now. I don’t want it to pigeonhole me.’
His condition is in the same family as Parkinson’s and Motor Neurone Disease.
Doctors insisted there was ‘nothing they could do’ after he was diagnosed in his mid-twenties, he got in touch with the National Tremor Foundation, who guided him with advice.
In terms of working on Corrie’s cobbled streets, the actor has said he has to just continually practice to make it second nature – so that his shakes are less obvious.
Speaking to The Express, Rob explained: ‘I manage it with humour really, because if you don’t, it can get frustrating.
‘You get very wound up in yourself so I just kind of take it with a humorous perspective.
Rob’s shared that has condition now affects both his hands, arms, neck and on occasion his voice can shake
Although Rob has used many techniques over the years to help cope with the symptoms, some viewers have spotted his ‘shakes’ on the soap (pictured in 2018 on This Morning)
He said: ‘In the last 10 years it has become a lot more pronounced and if it follows that trajectory in my personal life it’s going to be difficult and annoying. Professionally it could be career-ending’
‘With work, they’re all aware of it. If there’s something that comes up or if I need to do something I’ll usually just practice and practice and practice. But if I do shake and it’s very obvious I’ll just stop and say “can I go again?”‘.
In an interview with Holly Willoughby and Philip Schofield on This Morning in January 2018, Rob appeared incredibly nervous appearing on the live broadcast, notably shaking as he chatted to the show hosts.
Seeming a little flustered, the soap star spoke about his honour at being nominated for the prestigious award and seemed to accidentally let a plot detail slip in the process.
But fans watching from home noticed that Rob was a little on edge, taking to Twitter to remark on it.
‘Is it me or is this guy shaking?’ someone asked, as another posted ‘I’m way too distracted by his shaking hair’.
A concerned tweeter wrote: ‘God is he ok? He looks well nervous.’
Two months later, the actor appeared on the daytime show once again to reveal he was suffering from the progressive neurological disease.
Rob told hosts Phillip and Holly he was encouraged to speak out after fans noticed his shaking during an appearance on the ITV show in January, admitting he sometimes has to use props in filming.
With working on Corrie’s cobbled streets, the actor has said he has to just continually practice to make it second nature – so that his shakes are less obvious
Two months after his appearance which concerned fans, the actor appeared on the daytime show once again to reveal he was suffering from the progressive neurological disease
He told them in the interview: ‘Like most people, it manifests first in the hands, but then it can spread so I sometimes get it in the back of my neck and my head will shake.
‘Then it’s a progressive disease, so by the time I’m 50 it could well be in the voice box, down the back of the spine, the legs, the whole of the arms. It could be quite debilitating. I’ve had this for nearly 10 years.’
Rob said he had attempted to hide the disease but after fans noticed his shaking in a This Morning interview he decided to speak out.
‘My solution was to hide and manage because of the job that I’m in, it could really have a detrimental effect on my ability to get cast,’ he added.
‘So it was something I tried to keep a lid on. But once it was exposed live on TV I was incredibly embarrassed, and then angry, and then I started getting lots of messages off people on Twitter saying ‘me too’.
‘So I thought there’s been an unnecessary spotlight that’s been thrown on me here and instead of leaving it and letting it pass me by what I can do is redirect it.’
Speaking to the Express, he added that he has been looking into magnetic renosance-guided focused ultrasound treatment to target his tremor.
He said although he’s not at the stage where he’s ‘ready’ for the NHS incisionless procedure, he would ‘definitely’ like to go ahead with – because after treatment, the tremor can still return.