Coronation Street can go on forever, says William Roache

Coronation Street star William Roache has said there is no reason why the soap cannot go on forever.

The actor, who plays Ken Barlow in the ITV programme, has been a part of the cast since its inception.

December 9 marks the soap’s 60th anniversary.

Roache said the programme’s success “is quite simple”.

“Small people in a backstreet facing the adversity of life – everyone can identify with that,” he said.

“And of course it has to be well written, and well acted, and I think 60 years have shown we can do something right, and there’s no reason why it shouldn’t go on forever.”

Roache said he was sceptical about joining the programme when he was initially approached as he thought it was in “a small area doing a small little little family show, which wouldn’t be very consequential”.

“Well, fortunately, my agent persuaded me to go up and do it and then we realised we were part of this new realism that was sweeping through the theatre,” he added.

He said the cast were “all astounded at the effect that we had”.

“There was no words like ‘soap’, we were a cutting edge drama serial with the new realism and we were highly rated and criticised in all the top periodicals and I think we all realised this is something special,” he said.

“And then I think we were offered a 3-year contract or something, and that was the initial decision.

“But then, of course, as time went on, I think I remember in my 40s I thought, ‘Well, is this going to be me for life?’ and I didn’t have to think for long.

“I thought, ‘Yes, I love it, it’s such a happy ship, it’s a great show’.

“One director said, ‘Every so often, you’ll get a scene in Coronation Street that’s as good as any cinema or play or anything anywhere’, and that still applies.”

The 60th anniversary episode of Coronation Street airs on ITV on Wednesday, December 9.