KEN’S CHUCKMATE
Corrie legend, 84, keeps alert with chess
The veteran actor enjoys taking part in pawn moves.
Bill – who plays Ken Barlow in the ITV soap – says he keeps his mind alert by playing chess with his son.
He says: “I don’t eat particularly well, or exercise particularly well but I enjoy life and have a positive attitude.
“For my mind I play online chess and scrabble with Linus, who lives in New York. Every evening I have a go at that.” He believes learning lines also keeps his memory in peak condition. “I have a heavy story at
Bill is longest serving Street star the moment and it’s getting more challenging,” he says. “We film sometimes 12 hours a day and then learn lines at night. I’ve a lot to do.”
His character Ken has seen his fair share of gritty storylines – he’s survived falling down a ravine, an armed siege and an overdose attempt. Last month he was rushed to hospital with a suspected stroke.
Bill reveals he’s desperate for a lighter plot for a change.
Speaking at a fundraiser for Rainbows children’s hospices, he says: “I always get the doom and the gloom. I’d like a happy storyline. I used to get a bit of comedy with Blanche quite a lot, but the Barlows tend to be the misery people. Ours are always horrible to make everybody else’s seem better.”
Despite the gloom, he is delighted producer Kate Oates is giving him such prominent screen time.
He says: “When Ken had a stroke it made me think about his mortality. I got a bit worried they might be writing him out.
“Fortunately his recovery was quite quick.”
Despite his age, Bill’s not worried about his workload being increased as the show moves to six episodes a week.
He said: “I think six days will be seamless to us. We went from two episodes a week, then from four to five. It probably won’t make much difference, hopefully.”
halina.watts@trinitymirror.com