Coronation Street fans were in tears this evening after a doctor told Leanne Battersby and Steve McDonald that their son Oliver had been left severely brain-damaged.
The consultant also suggested that, due to the fact that he could no longer breathe unaided, they should begin talking about switching off the little boy's life support machine.
Leanne and Steve had been full of hope this evening as a specialist had been drafted in from another hospital to give a second opinion.
But the second opinion was not what they had been hoping for - despite Nick's research online suggesting that a hospital in Germany could treat Oliver.
The consultant explained that the specialist confirmed that Oliver couldn't breathe by himself and that his underlying mitochondrial condition and seizures were causing irreversible damage to the young boy's brain.
"And because the medication required to prevent those seizures is also a very powerful sedative, he also confirmed that Oliver will never be able to breathe unaided," she said.
Leanne began crying as she shouted in denial: "No!"
"I'm so sorry," the consultant apologised. "I know you need time to digest all this, but I'm afraid the time has come for us - we need to talk about turning off Oliver's life support."
Leanne's devastation will quickly shift into fury as she accuses the consultant of giving up on Oliver.
She goes onto announce that she has found a hospital in Germany where they will likely be able to treat him.
Later, Leanne and Steve facetime the doctor in Germany and Steve is deeply concerned when she plays down the severity of Oliver's case.
Yet Leanne won't listen to him and is happy when the doctor tells them that he will treat Oliver.
But is this all just false hope for Leanne and Steve?
*Coronation Street airs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 7.30pm and 8.30pm on ITV
