Inside Gossip
Ken to return as Bill Roache fights off Covid – and Evelyn’s gunning for naughty Tyrone…
Inside Soap is relieved to confirm that Coronation Street stalwart William Roache, who plays Ken, is on the mend after recently testing positive for coronavirus.
Concerns ran high after the reports that the 88-year-old star had fallen unwell and been written out of the show. However, Corrie has since set the record straight, reassuring us that Bill is doing well – and has every intention of returning to the Street set.
“Following recent reports about his health, William Roache has asked us to clarify that he took time off after testing positive for Covid-19,” explains a Weatherfield spokesperson. “He is recovering well and is looking forward to returning to cobbles as soon as possible.”
The news will inevitably mean that we lose the presence of Ken from strands such as his son Peter’s story (see p4). However, it sounds as though Bill is raring to get back, with the hope that order is soon restored within the Barlow family ranks!
Meanwhile, in some other good news for the Street, actress Maureen Lipman – who plays Evelyn – has already spoken publicly about her decision to pause filming on the cobbles until she’d had both jabs of the coronavirus vaccine. But insiders tell us that Evelyn is all set to return to our screens in late spring… “Evelyn will be back to speak her mind about Tyrone’s affair with Alina,” gasps our Coronation Street spy. “And, as you can imagine, she’ll have plenty to say!” Meanwhile, we’re also set to see Izzy Armstrong reconnecting with her friends on the cobbles over video calls, which is fantastic news for actress Cherylee Houston, who has been shielding since the pandemic began. Great news all round!