Coronation Street icon revealed to have signed new contract amid major cast changes at ITV soap
A titan of the street will continue to stay around.
William Roache has signed a new contract with Coronation Street to keep playing stalwart Ken Barlow.
The 92-year-old and longest-running star of the ITV soap and the Guinness World Record holder for longest-serving cast member on any television show is staying true to his roots for the near future.
The Mirror reports that William Roache joins actors Sally Dynevor and Michael La Vell in signing new one-year contracts with the soap.
The paper quotes Roache's previous comments about staying with the soap until the age of 100.
He said: “Someone said to me, 'Look, Bill, you’re in the Guinness Book of Records, you’ve got the MBE, you’ve been in Coronation Street for over 60 years, what else is there?’'
"I said to him, ‘I would like to be the first centenarian who is still cast in an ongoing drama’. That’s my aim, to be 100 and still working on Coronation Street. While they want me and while I can do it I’ll continue to do it."
The ITV soap declined to comment on cast contracts when approached by RadioTimes.com.
Roache has played the role of Ken Barlow since the soap's first episode aired in 1960 and has remained with the show ever since.
The news of Ken sticking with the soap comes amid a storyline where he is currently being cared for and unknowingly abused through medication by carer Cassie Plummer (Claire Sweeney) - who began drugging him last year.
While the news of Ken's future will delight fans, this comes amid a large number of cast changes at the ITV soap.
It was recently revealed thatColson Smith has been axed from his role as PC Craig Tinker, while actress Charlotte Jordan has chosen to leave her role as popular barmaid Daisy Midgeley.
Meanwhile, Sue Cleaver has quit her role as Eileen Grimshaw after a quater of a century with the soap, hot on the heels of the departure of Gail Rodwell (Helen Worth) at Christmas.
As part of Eileen's exit, Katy Cavanagh will reprise her role as Eileen's half-sister Julie Carp.
This week, Maureen Lipman also departed the soap as her character Evelyn Plummer is to become a recurring character at the choice of actress Maureen Lipman, while actor Luca Toolan was recently written out from his role as troubled teen Mason Radcliffe who was killed off in a knife crime storyline.
Finally, long-running cast member Sue Devaney who plays Debbie Webster is being written out of the soap as part of a dementia storyine which will run into 2026.
Read more:
- 8 Coronation Street characters who should have a huge 2025 – from Jenny Connor to Todd Grimshaw
- Coronation Street casts ex-Hollyoaks star for Lauren prison scenes
- Coronation Street's Leanne declares war after Toyah betrayal
- Coronation Street airs major baby decision in ITVX episode
Visit our dedicated Coronation Street page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers.
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Lewis Knight is the Trends Editor for Radio Times, covering trending titles from TV, Film and more. He previously worked at The Mirror in TV, Film, and Showbiz coverage alongside work on SEO. Alongside his past work in advertising, he possesses a BSc in Psychology and an MA in Film Studies.
