Next week, Coronation Street will be celebrating 60 years on our screens. The popular soap, which first aired back in 1960 has become a huge part of British culture.
On how the show has survived for 60 years, John Whiston, Managing Director of Continuing Drama & Head of ITV in the North, says:
“Coronation Street is very special. It’s about the humanity of seeing characters developed through the brains, intelligences and hearts of so many people. And seeing how they deal with situations you know you may have to deal with yourself in life. It’s a guide to humanity with a little bit of comfort blanket thrown in along with a little bit of sharp, northern wit.”
William Roache on playing Ken Barlow for 60 years
How has Coronation Street survived on TV for 60 years?
William: “The reasons for Coronation Street’s success? First of all there is a quality threshold. It has to be well produced, directed and acted. You then look at what it is. It’s just about a group of people. Some shows are about police, courtrooms or hospitals. We aren’t any of those but we’re all of them. So we can have anything we want. We are about people.
“Coronation Street is about a small sovereign community which people can identify with and there is no reason why that shouldn’t go on for ever and ever. So long as we retain the truth and the humour of the North West.
“Tony Warren created Coronation Street in 1960 and his legacy absolutely lives on. He had an insight into what was to come. Although I don’t think he realised himself that he was on the crest of the wave of the realism sweeping through the acting profession.
“People often quote Marlon Brando and James Dean in the cinema and John Osborne with Look Back In Anger in the theatre. We were the kitchen sink drama on television. Very much a cutting edge drama serial. There were no ‘soaps’ as such in those days.
“Today we can draw on all of the Street’s long history for present day storylines and characters. There are not many shows that can do that. Call on itself from 60 years ago. It’s a wonderful thing to have.”
What was it like returning to filming this autumn after lockdown?
William: “It was pretty much the longest period of time I had physically been away from Coronation Street in 60 years. It was like going back to school after the holidays. And I was going back to a totally different set up.
“But I had already gone in to do an interview with Joanna Lumley for part of her latest TV project. Of course her first break was playing Ken’s girlfriend Elaine Perkins in 1973. I’ve met her since she left Coronation Street at an awards ceremony and at Windsor Castle when it reopened after the fire. Various celebrities were invited to mingle with the royal family and I was one of those and so was she.
“So I had seen the studio in its new marked out protocols state and it wasn’t such a big shock. I quite like it. It’s very peaceful at work and everything is done very well. There is a great feeling of camaraderie among the actors. It’s just strange that you can’t be nearer to each other in a scene than two metres. But so far that hasn’t been a problem.”
Having been a part of your life for 60 years now, was lockdown a difficult time, not being able to work and mix with other members of the cast?
William: “I know lockdown has been very hard for a lot of people. I was very fortunate. My two children Will and Verity live in a flat in London and they have been up with me the whole time. We all get on very well. Every evening at 9:30 we’d have our cinema evening where we watch a half hour comedy like The Vicar of Dibley or something. And then we watch a good classic film. The house is big enough for us to have our own areas and we have a nice big garden. Being able to sit out in the lovely weather to begin with. So I know how very fortunate I have been while fully appreciating it hasn’t been the same for many people.”
Lockdown highlighted the value of local communities like Weatherfield. Of people supporting and looking after their neighbours. What are your thoughts about that?
William: “In many ways there is a lot of good going to come out of this period. People who were very busy, rushing around with busy lives, have had time to reflect. To maybe think about their life and see areas that maybe they could change. Hopefully, it will have made people care more about other people. They will be more caring and considerate.
“Ken has lived on the same street his entire life when he could have moved away. People sometimes don’t appreciate what they have close to home. You hear the story of the person who is searching for the meaning of life and they travel all over the world. And eventually they realise that all of the answers were back home in their own backyard.
“In other words, the journey in life is an inward journey. That’s how you find out everything as and when it is right for you. Appreciating the here and now and where you are is all part of that.”
You hold the Guinness World Record for the longest serving actor in a continuing TV drama. How does that make you feel?
William: “I’m on the wonderful ship Coronation Street. It has taken me there. Coronation Street is the longest running ongoing drama in the world and I am just part of that. So I am very fortunate to have been with this wonderful show that I absolutely love and enjoy. And a show that has been so successful.
"Coronation Street has got a big heart. It’s a happy place to come to work. I look forward to going to work. I enjoy doing the scenes. That comes through on screen. There’s no doubt about that. Part of Coronation Street’s success is the love and the enjoyment for the show.”
Can you tell us a little about Ken’s storyline in the 60th anniversary episodes?
William: “I’m involved in a really interesting story that is very much Ken.
In trying to save a part of Coronation Street which I really enjoy and like. And then I’m going to have big problems with my dysfunctional family. Peter is going to fall off the wagon again. It’s all really good stuff. Powerful and always well written, of course. It’s a strong storyline which I have really enjoyed filming.
“Ken has always protested for what is right. He took part in the CND marches and anti-Vietnam War protests in the sixties. He always takes a stand for peace, love and a caring community. I am very much in tune with that. The one thing I want more than anything is world peace. Imagine if we had world peace? If countries didn’t have to spend money on armaments, that would solve pretty much every other problem we have. And that is a thing that is possible. If a lot of people seriously thought about world peace and being peaceful themselves, it can happen. And that’s how it will happen. Not through governments. Through people.”
Is it correct you went to the original Coronation Street audition not wanting the role of Ken Barlow?
William: “Yes. I went to the 1960 Granada Television audition for Ken Barlow not wanting the job. I had just filmed the lead in a television play. The play of the week on the Wednesday night was always a highlight and I had the lead in it. Now this was a big career break. And I filmed it at Granada. But unbeknown to me, while I was doing that Tony Warren took the casting people down to the studios, pointed to me and said, ‘He’s the one I want for Ken Barlow.’
“I just thought Coronation Street was a new little local show. I had my flat in London and I was waiting for this TV play to come out. When Granada said they wanted me, I said, ‘No, I’ve got this play coming out. I don’t want to do it.’ But my agent persuaded me to do the pilot because I wasn’t doing anything else.
"Then my agent said, ‘They want you Bill.’ I replied, ‘I’ve told you, I’ve got my flat in London and I’m waiting for this play…’ He said, ‘Coronation Street is only going to run for 11 weeks. So look at it this way. In one of those weeks you will go out on the Monday and the Friday in Coronation Street and on the Wednesday you will have the lead in the play. What a great shop window.’ And I thought, ‘Yeah. I like that.’ So I said, ‘Yes, I’ll do it.’
“And then, of course, the minute Coronation Street hit the screen…wow. It took off. Because it was this new realism sweeping through the theatre and on to TV. I remember the director walking in and saying, ‘What’s going on? What have we got here?’
“We were instant celebrities. Instant top of the ratings and have been there ever since. It was an amazing time. You were recognised in the street from the start. It was instantaneous with everybody.”
Was there a time when you thought about leaving?
William: “In my forties I had a long think about it and really looked at the whole thing. But I just loved it so much. As someone quite rightly said, ‘During the year you’ll get some scenes that are as good as anywhere in any film or play.’ And that’s true because the writing is so good. You get wonderful job satisfaction and you get some security from it too. I thought about leaving but not really seriously and I never put it into action in any way whatsoever.”
You experienced a huge personal and professional loss when actress Anne Kirkbride, who played Ken’s wife Deirdre, died in 2015. What are your memories of Anne?
William: “Deirdre was the love of Ken’s life. Anne Kirkbride was such a lovely person. She was full of bright ideas and energy. Her laugh was never far away. She was a naturally brilliant actress with great comedy timing as well. I was just so fortunate to work with her for so long and so closely. I really loved her. I was very grateful for Anne.”
Ken’s mother-in-law Blanche, played by the late Maggie Jones, is another of the all time great characters. Was it hard to keep a straight face at some of her acerbic lines?
William: “I will never forget the Alcoholics Anonymous scene with Ken’s son Peter and the rest of the Barlow family in attendance. We were all so worried about that, because Alcoholics Anonymous is such a wonderful organisation. And there was Blanche saying all of these awful things about them. We thought it was going to be a disaster, but it turned out to be one of the classic iconic comedy moments in Coronation Street’s history.
“That side of Blanche only came out as she got older. Having previously been a character as a younger woman, she became one of those wonderful older people who just say what they think. They are like little hand grenades going off all the time. But they don’t care. Maggie’s timing was brilliant. Absolutely wonderful.”
It is often said the comedy and humour of Coronation Street help set it apart from other shows. Do you agree?
William: “I do agree with that. It’s a northern humour. In times of so much poverty and so on, it was their humour that kept them going. Other shows try to do something funny. That’s missing the point. It’s not doing something funny. It’s seeing the humour. The writers are very good at that, but you’ve got to be careful.
“It’s understanding that Lancashire humour that the writers write so beautifully and the actors know how to play. You get certain characters like the Duckworths and others over the years…it’s just wonderful. It’s a generic thing within the Street. You can’t impose it. It’s just there.”
You have played some great comedy moments yourself. Do you enjoy that side of Ken?
William: “Ken has had quite a few memorable comedy moments over the years. Falling through the loft and various other things. I love the comedy. Sometimes they make Ken a bit intellectually pompous or whatever but they don’t need to do that. He’s a caring man who has experienced a lot in his life. So he’s got some wisdom now. I think that can be used. I really like that. He cares about his family even though they really are dysfunctional. But that’s wonderful and long may that continue.”
How would you sum up the Barlow family?
William: “Each one of them has got something dysfunctional about them. All Ken wants is for them to be a loving happy family. Mind you, in the early days Ken contributed to that quite a lot as well.
“Casting took a photograph of me when they were casting Daniel. He’s supposed to be a younger version of Ken, going to university and all that. He’s almost like a clone of Ken. But he is different in other ways.”
Some people say Ken has always been a man with an eye for the ladies. Do you agree?
William: “I don’t think he is so much of a ladies man. It’s the fact he desperately wanted a loving relationship like he had with his first wife Val. And that’s what he was trying to do. But they never worked out. So he went from relationship to relationship.
“I thought the relationship between Ken and Martha Fraser, played by Stephanie Beacham, was very clever. Because Ken had the dreams about living in London with the intelligentsia and all of that and suddenly this woman arrives on a canal barge and offers him this life. She loves him and wants him to go with her. Ken thinks, ‘Yes, this is it.’ But at the last moment he realises he wouldn’t fit in. It isn’t who he is. So it was a great revelation for Ken.”
You have always said retirement is not an option. Is it your aim to celebrate your own 100th birthday in the Rovers Return?
William: “Absolutely. I’m looking forward to that. I’m some eight years older than Ken so I will get there first.”
Do you think Coronation Street can go on for another 60 years?
William: “There is no reason why Coronation Street cannot go on forever if it continues to adapt to what is happening. Coronation Street is a massive part of my life. I love it and I am eternally grateful to it. I love what I’m doing. I see the future of more of the same and more enjoyment.”
The show will be screened on ITV as three one hour episodes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 7.30pm. During the anniversary week fans will also be treated to two new ITV documentaries; Coronation Street 60 Unforgettable years and Queens of the Street.
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