Here Is Five Of Ken Barlow’s Best Moments
Ken Barlow was one of Coronation Street’s original characters and he’s been played by the same actor, William Roache, for more than half a century. Originally conceived as a character who was the educated son of a working class family, Barlow has married four times over the course of the soap’s storylines – including twice to the same woman, Deidre Hunt.
Roache remains the longest serving actor in a television soap opera, after overtaking Don Hastings, an actor in the American soap As The World Turns in 2010, so his character has had plenty of storylines over the years. Check out five of our favourites below:
Deirdre’s love triangle (1983)
In 1983 Ken and Deirdre Barlow had been married for just a year when Deirdre began an affair with Mike Baldwin, making headlines around the UK back in the real world. Controversy raged over whether she should pick Ken or Mike, and although Deirdre ultimately chose Ken, a rivalry between the two characters persisted for another 20 years after this storyline.
This included the two men competing over the same woman, drama when Ken’s daughter Susan has a brief affair and marriage to Mike and even Ken’s jealousy to Deirdre’s reaction following Mike’s death of a heart attack in 2006.
Ken and Deirdre remarry (2005)
The saga of Ken and Deirdre’s relationship is truly a love story for the ages – after divorcing in 1990 following infidelity on the parts of both parties, the pair remained friends. In 1999 they rekindled their relationship on the encouragement of Deirdre’s mother, Blanche. Despite another instance of infidelity on Deirdre’s part and the drama of Ken losing his teaching job in 2002, Ken and Deirdre remarried in 2005.
It was an hour-long special when it was shown on TV, and pulled in 60% of the available audience at the time. The episode was followed up by a documentary looking at the ups and downs of the pair’s relationships over the years, proving the appetite the Great British public has for these star-crossed lovers.
The woman on the boat (2008)
Although Ken and Deidre were back together in 2008, when Ken’s old love rival Mike passed away Deirdre reacted with sadness and grief. In his jealousy, Ken left home to try and rekindle a relationship with his estranged son Daniel, in the process meeting and falling for Martha Fraser, who lives on a barge locally.
Ken made plans to run away with Martha, but failed to go through with the plan in the end and kilted Martha, confessing all to Deirdre who eventually forgave him (again.)
Deirdre’s death (2015)
One of Coronation Street’s most heartbreaking moments to date came with the passing of Deirdre – millions of fans around the UK tuned in in July 2015 to see how Ken coped with the loss of his partner in crime. Deirdre had been staying with a friend to avoid the stress of her stepson Peter’s murder trial, and on her 60th birthday when she had been due to return to the street, it was instead announced that she had passed away.
Although Ken was devastated by the news, this later turned to disappointment when he realised that he had wasted his life in an unhappy marriage to Deirdre, casting a pall over their relationship.
Left for dead (2017)
In one of Ken’s biggest stories of late, he was pushed down the stairs and left for dead by an unknown assailant this year. Although many people have motivations for doing so, his recent disclosure that he would be leaving everything to Tracey Barlow in his will may have been a factor in the incident.
Celebrity talent agency
For soap fans there can surely be no bigger celebrity than Ken Barlow – or at least William Roache, the actor who played the character for more than 50 years. He’s a true national treasure and his occasionally cantankerous, boring but very much adored character on Coronation Street is an absolute mainstay of the soap opera.
If you’re planning an event for an audience who might appreciate the opportunity to meet and greet the king of British soaps then get in touch with MN2S talent agents to book a celebrity who fans will fall over themselves to see!