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With over 65 years on the cobbles under his belt, Coronation Street icon William Roache is set to be honoured with his own documentary spin-off.
94-year-old Roache has played Ken Barlow since the ITV soap’s inception in December 1960, and has appeared in almost 5,000 episodes during that time.
His most famous stories include the love triangle with wife Deirdre and factory owner Mike Baldwin in 1983, his affair with Wendy Crozier six years later, and more recently, being left for dead by youngest son Daniel Osbourne (Rob Mallard) in 2017.
He’s also been drugged by carer Cassie Plummer (Claire Sweeney), imprisoned for taking part in a political protest, struggled with fatherhood and been married four times to three different women.
Now, The Sun reports that the actor – who was awarded a Guinness World Record for being the longest-serving television star in a continuous role in 2010 – will be at the centre of new programme Bill Roache: Life On The Street (working title).
The documentary is expected to air later this year, or into 2027.
A source told the publication: “Very few cast members get an honour like this but then very few can boast the incredible career that Bill has had.”
Radio Times understands that the celebration has been in the works for the last six months, and that the show’s production company MultiStory Media have been working closely with Roache and the Coronation Street production team.
This isn’t the first time that viewers have been welcomed behind closed doors for an insight into Roache’s career and personal life. In 2001, Granada Television commissioned documentary Coronation Street: Ken and Me.
The fly-on-the-wall look at his home life and days filming on the soap’s set in central Manchester also showed a more spiritual side to the actor, and explored an infamous 1991 libel suit against a tabloid newspaper after they branded him “boring”.
Roache was also subject to a show celebrating his 90th in 2022. His co-star Barbara Knox received the same spin-off treatment the following year.
Read more:
- 5 Coronation Street spoilers for next week: Sarah Platt confesses to DC Kit Green and Betsy Swain’s life in danger
- Coronation Street reveals verdict in Megan Walsh trial in early ITVX release
- Coronation Street exit confirmed for fan-favourite Nina Lucas as actress Mollie Gallagher departs after over 6 years
Coronation Street airs weeknights at 8:30pm on ITV1 or can be streamed from 7am on ITVX.
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Authors
Michael Adams is the Soaps Editor at Radio Times, covering all of the hot gossip and spoilers from Weatherfield to Walford, Emmerdale to Hollyoaks and everywhere in-between. He joined the team from Metro, where he spent two years as a Soaps Reporter and previously worked on the sets of both Coronation Street and Emmerdale.
