Coronation Street actor Ben Price confessed it can be "hard" to deal with traumatic storylines on the ITV soap.
His character Nick Tilsley is at the centre of a heartbreaking new plot, as his stepson Oliver Battersby, 3, is fighting for his life.
Leanne Battersby's son began suffering seizures earlier this year before she and Oliver's dad Steve McDonald learned the devastating news that he was seriously ill.
Doctors confirmed he had a life-limiting condition called mitochondrial disease, and that he had an incurable form of it.
In upcoming scenes, Nick fears his stepson will die as he's placed on a life support machine following uncontrollable seizures.
Actor Ben spoke about the moving storyline on Loose Women on Wednesday.
A clip played which recapped the storyline reduced panellist Linda Robson to tears, but she wasn't alone.
Ben shared how he is often left upset filming the scenes, and revealed the ways he tries to get back to reality once the filming is done.
Confessing he didn't cope all that well with the difficult plot, he praised his co-star Jane Danson.
Host Andrea McLean asked: "We're in tears watching it, how do you as an actor deal with that and then going home to your own family and own children?"
Ben confessed: "I don't know if I deal with it very well.
"I get a bit upset and then you have to try and separate yourself. Jane has been amazing, absolutely brilliant.
"She carries it, takes on that emotional journey and I just try to stay there with her."
He added: "These are powerful storylines, but we need to tell them.
"Sometimes you just need five minutes at the end of the day, change your clothes, remember where you are and get into another life.
"Occasionally it is hard, it's hard."
The storyline continues for Nick and partner Leanne, as well as Oliver's father Steve all this week.
Coronation Street airs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 7:30pm on ITV.
