Corrie heavyweight Bill Roache has been playing street favourite Ken Barlow for almost sixty years, making his on-screen debut in the first ever episode of Corrie. The longest-serving cast member of any soap opera, ever, Roache has portrayed Barlow through family dysfunction, drama and a hectic love life.
You might think that more than fifty years on one show was enough for anyone – but not William Roache. The actor, born in Nottingham, and now 86 years old, has repeatedly told producers that he will appear on the show for as long as they’ll have him.
In a recent interview on ITV’s Lorraine, he said, “My goal now is to be the first centenarian, the first 100-year-old, still working in a serial. I’m very lucky to have the job. I really appreciate the job and I love it very much.”
To achieve his goal, Roache will have to remain fit and healthy for another 14 years – but his character remains a central part of the Coronation Street drama. Just last year, his storyline saw him pushed down the stairs and left for dead by a mystery assailant – no growing old gracefully for this character!
Roache said on Lorraine, speaking about the ageing process: “The ageing process is actually a belief system. The body renews its cells all the time… If you slow down, the cell renewal process will slow down and it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy.”
He spoke about his recent love of meditation, something he credits with keeping him well and which he described as being, ‘like a tea break from life.’
With a new producer, Coronation Street could soon be taking a turn in a different direction – but we can be confident that Ken Barlow isn’t going anyplace soon. A fan favourite who’s as much a part of the furniture as The Rover, Barlow (and Roache) is here to stay.
The fierce fan following that soap operas generate makes soap stars brilliant celebrity bookings. They’re the kind of stars that people will go out of their way to meet and see, making them a huge pull for any event you’re organising.
To find out more about booking a soap actor like William Roache, get in touch with his booking agent at MN2S talent agency in London today.