10 Totally True Facts About… William Roache (Coronation Street’s Ken)

YOUR InsideSoap BRIEFING ON THE MAN BEHIND CORRIE ’S KEN…

1 William Patrick Roache was born on 25 April 1932 in Basford, Notts, to parents Joseph and Hester.

Bill went to a Steiner school which was set up by his grandfather in the garden of the family home! In 1953, Bill joined the British Army – he was there for three years and left in the rank of captain.

2 After leaving the Army, Bill turned to acting. In 1959, he played a minor role in the film The Bulldog Breed. He also had a leading part in a TV play called Marking Time, which was transmitted in 1961, just after he’d joined Corrie. “I played a young soldier who fraternised with a German girl, although I can’t remember now how it ended,” explains Bill. “It was highly prestigious, and I’ve tried to hunt it down, but there’s no trace of it.”

3 Bill joined the cobbles as Ken Barlow in 1960.

Bill was handpicked for the role by show creator Tony Warren, who spotted him when he was making Marking Time – but

Bill almost turned Ken down. “I wasn’t interested,” he explains to us. “I had my flat in London, I was getting acting parts and it all looked very rosy.” Bill had no idea that he’d be staying on the show long-term! “If they’d offered me a 60-year contract back then, I probably would have run a mile!” he chuckles. “But now I feel I’m so fortunate to be acting and working at my age. Corrie is a wonderful place – I look forward to going to work.”

4 Bill married Anna Cropper in 1962, and they had two kids – Linus and Vanya. Five years after his divorce from Anna in 1974, Bill wed Sara Mottram, with whom he had Verity, James and Edwina, who sadly died at 18 months. Tragically, Anna passed away in 2007, Sara two years later, and daughter Vanya died in 2018.

5 Both of Bill’s sons have also appeared in Coronation Street! Linus has appeared twice, first of all playing Ken’s on-screen son Peter Barlow between 1973 and 1975, then returning in 2010 as Ken’s long-lost son, Lawrence Cunningham. And at the same time, Bill’s other son James arrived as Ken’s grandson – also called James – whom he played until 2011.

6 In 2001, Bill was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s New Year Honours.

Two years prior, he had been given the Lifetime Achievement Award at the British Soap Awards for his role as Ken Barlow. And in 2007, The actor was awarded an honorary degree by the University of Chester for his contribution to television.

7 Bill is a big believer in meditation and spirituality. “You have the genes, and then it’s up to you whether you abuse them or add to them,” he shares. “I like to think I add to them and have a good view of life. I care about people and things. I don’t get angry, but I don’t suppress it, either. I walk my dogs, play golf and I meditate all the time. You have your body, emotions and mind – and if you get all of those calm, peaceful and in harmony, then it helps you in life.”

8 Anne Kirkbride – who played Deirdre Barlow in Corrie for 42 years – sadly passed away in 2015, but Bill says he still feels her presence. “Even now, I can still feel her around,” the star tells us. “It’s very powerful, particularly at the Barlows’, where Ken and Deirdre were called upon to do a lot of crying and shouting. But I know all is well for her. And you get to the point where you can think about the happy times and enjoy them.”

9 In 2018, Bill released his book Life And Soul: How To Live A Long And Healthy Life. Unlike many actors, Bill didn’t write an autobiography, but instead wrote about his lifestyle. “It was actually Will [Bill’s youngest son] who wanted me to write this book,” reveals the actor. “He said, ‘Dad, you’re 86, you’re still working, and when I see you with other old people, you just don’t seem like one of them. Why don’t you write about what it is that you do?’”

10 Bill is a worldrecord holder! He has been on Coronation Street for 60 years, making him the longest-serving male TV soap star. “I’m the only one from the first episode, and I’m in the Guinness World Records book – you’d think a path would be beaten to my dressing room with people all wanting advice!” he laughs. “But that’s not the case – I go to the youngsters. They’re so good and confident that I can learn from them.”