The life and loves of Ken Barlow
HE was paid the princely sum of £10 an episode and signed up to a 13 week contract in 1960 to appear in a new ITV soap opera called Coronation Street.
Now William Roache is in the Guinness Book of Records for being the longest-serving actor in a television soap opera, having played Ken Barlow in thousands of episodes of Corrie.
The first black and white episode was broadcast live at 7pm on December 9, 1960, and introduced viewers to 21-year-old student Ken as he sat down to an evening meal with his mum and dad, Ida and Frank Barlow.
“No, thanks” were the first words he uttered on screen as he turned down his mum’s offer of some bottled sauce. “But I got it specially,” she said, “you always loved it when you was little.”
Soon his father was accusing him of being “snooty” and warning hotel cleaner Ida “he’ll be having you change into evening gowns for your meals next”.
The following year Ken became the first character to ever swear on Coronation Street when he uttered the word “bl**dy” – the utterance attracted 83 complaints.
The Coronation Street legend is now celebrating his 90th birthday and is the last remaining member from the original 1960 cast still working on the ITV series.
“I don’t feel nearly 90 at all,” he said. “The Coronation Street cast are like a second family to me and I can’t quite believe I’ve been lucky enough to play Ken Barlow for over 60 years.”
William Patrick Roache was born on April 25, 1932, and served with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, reaching the rank of captain, before he turned to acting.
He appeared on stage and TV and had an uncredited minor role as a space centre operator in Norman Wisdom’s 1960 comedy film The Bulldog Breed, but Coronation Street turned him into a household name.
Legend has it that the soap’s creator Tony Warren saw him in Granada TV play Marking Time and invited him to audition for the role of Ken. The audition called for him to read a newspaper with a Lancashire accent.
He once told Channel 4 show Sunday Brunch: “When we started there were only 15 cast members and we were all in every episode. That’s when you had that lovely community feel. You could all go off in a bus to Blackpool.”
The TV veteran escorted Queen Elizabeth when she visited the Coronation Street set last year and told her he had first seen her when she visited Jamaica in 1963, when he was serving as army officer. He has also welcomed famous visitors like Prince Charles, Cilla Black and Margaret Thatcher over the years.
During his time on Corrie, his character Ken has developed a reputation as something of a ladies’ man, marrying four times to three women – Valerie Tatlock, Janet Reid and Deirdre Langton – and dating more than 20 women. One of his early girlfriends was Absolutely Fabulous star Joanna Lumley. It has led to him being dubbed the Cobbles Casanova.
The character was also involved in a number of dramatic storylines with his third on-screen wife Deirdre Bar
She lit up the Strictly dance floor for seven years, and became only the second professional to win the competition two years in a row after partnering with Kelvin Fletcher and Bill Bailey, but now Oti Mabuse has swapped the glitterball for Cupid’s arrow. She’s the host of Romeo & Duet (Saturday, ITV, 7pm), which began last week and sees a singleton serenaded on a balcony by unseen would-be wooers. Only when the lonely heart has chosen one of the singers do they get to meet face to face, but the drama doesn’t stop there. The pair are then whisked off to learn a duet, returning later in the show to compete against other couples all looking to win the competition. Each musical interlude is accompanied by musical director Vikki Stone and her live band The Heartbeats, who guarantee a toe-tapping time for everyone. Unlike the contestants, Oti admits she doesn’t have the greatest voice. “I cannot sing!” she laughs, adding: “The thing I love about this show is it’s not about singing. You don’t have to have a great voice, you just have to connect with the person that you’ve matched with. It’s not a talent show. It’s just coming together and having a good time.” Oti is used to dancing in front of an audience but working on this show was a different kettle of fish, and not an unwelcome one. “It was my first time hosting in front of a live studio audience. It was the best feeling. They were just so excited to be there. They couldn’t wait,” she says. “The audience is such a vital part of the show as they’re saying, ‘come down!’ because they can see both people – or they’re like, ‘stay where you are’, or they’re confused, and when you’re doing your duet, they are voting. In another way they became my co-stars. It was just so special and amazing.” She’s clearly thrilled to be presenting, explaining: “I always wanted something where I can connect with people and communicate and get to know them.” She recalls one particularly swoonsome moment, saying: “There’s one couple and the screen opened and the guy was still singing and the guy that came down the stairs was so excited. They didn’t even wait, they just ran up to each other. “The two gentlemen were just literally looking at each other and singing. I was like, ‘Yeah!’ Loved it. I think it’s really nice when they come on and they show their personalities.”
Milkshake! Squarepants. (R) Prodigy – Preview. Spongebob Squarepants. (R)
Entertainment News. Friends. (R) Entertainment News. Our Yorkshire Farm. (R) Kew Gardens: A Year in Bloom. (R) Tsunami.
The singer and broadcaster explores his Welsh heritage, while discovering more about Wales’s rich history, beginning in the south of the country. (R)
A look behind the scenes at Henry VIII’S beloved royal palace on the Thames, which is now a popular tourist attraction.
A mix of live performances, rarely seen archive material and videos, with classics by Johnny Cash, John Denver, Willie Nelson, Kenny Rogers, Glen Campbell and Elvis Presley.
Greatest Ever Celebrity Wind Ups. (R) The Leovegas Live Casino Show. The World’s Most Expensive Hotels. (R) The Funny Thing About Kids. (R)
Wildlife SOS. (R) House Doctor. (R) Paw Patrol. (R)
Milkshake! Monkey’s Amazing Adventures. (R)
Practise good self-care
Anne-sophie Fluri says: “A resilient brain is one that is well-nourished, wellrested and well-cared for. Practising good self-care is essential for showing up as your best self and guarding against stress and burnout.”
Find out what works best for you - whether that’s having a bath, going for a walk out in nature or listening to some music – anything that gives you an opportunity to focus on nourishing yourself. wisdom begins with understanding yourself.” He recommends regular journalling, calling it “the cheapest form of therapy there is”. Simon continues: “By understanding your thinking, you not only know yourself better, but you feel a greater sense of clarity and [can] channel your energy into what you can control over what you can’t. It helps to deepen the relationship you have with yourself.” Anne-sophie says journaling can help with emotional regulation, adding: “Learning to deal with your emotions is an important part of mental fitness. Key to this is self-soothing: finding constructive ways to tolerate distress and comfort ourselves.”
Be kind Take a cold shower in the morning
It might not sound like the most appealing way to start your day, but there’s a growing move
Dr Deborah Lee suggests practising kindness every day could help boost your own mental health.
“Being kind to others will increase your sense of worth and self-esteem, all of which lead to happiness and greater pleasure in life,” she says. “You could sign up to be a volunteer, drop in on an elderly neighbour, walk a dog for a friend, start babysitting, or even become a blood donor, for example.” ment advocating for the mental health benefits of cold water therapy.
Be careful with this if you have any existing health conditions, but Dr Deborah Lee from Dr Fox Online Pharmacy (doctorfox.co.uk) suggests a cold shower can “elevate levels of endorphins, the natural chemicals released in the brain that give you a ‘high”’.
She adds: “Cold water immersion also lowers levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Interestingly the biggest benefit from the cold shower is in the first minute or two – there is no real additional benefit from gritting your teeth and forcing yourself to stay under the cold water for too long!”
Schedule in rest periods
We all have hectic lives and it’s easy to get caught up with everything that’s going on – only to realise you’re burnt out when it’s too late.
Simon recommends scheduling in time to rest every day, because this is “the space where our creativity blossoms, our wisdom rises to the surface and insights are born”.
He advises treating these rest periods like you would meetings or social events, saying: “Making this part of your routine will help you stay mentally fit, and come back to whatever you were doing recharged, rejuvenated and ready for whatever the world may throw your way.”