Ken.. and Deidre
Ken has appeared on the ITV soap since its first episode aired on December 9, 1960, and has been at the centre of some of Weatherfield’s most iconic storylines.
He will always be best known for his on/off relationship with Deirdre, played by the late Anne Kirkbride, and his feud with love rival Mike Baldwin (Johnny Briggs, who died last year).
Ken and Deirdre’s wedding in 1981 was watched by 20 million viewers – reportedly more than the audience for the Royal wedding of Charles and Diana two days later. Ken and Deirdre also tied the knot again in 2005.
Bill and Anne, who died in 2015, were close in real life. He said: “It felt like being married in a parallel life though we’d go our separate ways in the evenings.”
Bill, who holds the Guinness World Record for the longest-serving TV star in a continuous role, reportedly earns £200,000 a year playing Ken and has no plans to quit.
Four years ago he feared the worst as producers told him Ken would have a stroke and be shot in a mystery attack. He was later