Rob Mallard, known for his role as Daniel Osbourne on Coronation Street, has reportedly split from his boyfriend Matthew Martin after four years together. The couple has unfollowed each other on Instagram and removed most photos of one another, signaling the end of their relationship.
Relationship background
Matthew Martin had a minor role on the soap as a policeman who arrested Cassie Plummer, played by Claire Sweeney, after her campaign of drugging Ken Barlow, portrayed by William Roache, was exposed. Rob previously dated fellow co-star Daniel Brocklebank, who played Billy Mayhew in 2017.
Daniel Osbourne's current storyline
In the soap, Rob's character Daniel is facing turmoil after being in a relationship with paedophile Megan Walsh, played by Beth Nixon, who groomed and abused Will Driscoll, portrayed by Lucas Hodgson-Wale. Daniel's behavior has worsened, leading to a microwave fire that endangered his son Bertie, played by Henry Duggan. This resulted in a confrontation with his father Ken, whom Daniel struck.
Rob explained: 'He's just angry with everyone and everything. It's easier to be angry and it feels more powerful to be angry than it is to be sad.' He added that Daniel feels trapped and lashes out, particularly at Ken, due to lingering resentment from childhood abandonment.
Social services have now become involved, raising the stakes for Daniel. Rob noted: 'It's 100% a wake up call. He's completely beside himself, thinking he'll have his kid taken off him.'
Whether Daniel will redeem himself or continue his descent remains uncertain. Rob suggested: 'If he's going to go off the rails, he should go off them properly, possibly even lose custody of Bertie temporarily.'
