Ken Barlow Credit: ITV
Soaps

Coronation Street’s William Roache thinks senior cast members ‘will be written out of soap for foreseeable future’

Bill recently turned 88

Coronation Street legend William Roache, who plays Ken Barlow, has revealed he thinks it will be a bit longer before senior cast members return to filming at the soap.

Back in March, Corrie was forced to suspend production due to coronavirus.

ITV recently revealed in a statement that there is no set date for filming to resume. However they are in the final stages of planning their return.

Bill Roache Coronation Street
Bill has played Ken since the first episode of Coronation Street in 1960 (Credit: ITV)

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But Bill recently spoke on BBC Radio Derby about returning to filming. He said: “Well, they sent us some information, they’re hoping to restart filming in mid-June, and they said it’s all going to be very very different.

“Scenes will be about the lockdown, so people will be isolating.

“Scenes will be shot more simply with less people. Obviously cameras and booms will be placed where there’s the required distance.”

He then spoke about how it looks like older members of the cast won’t be returning to filming for a while.

Bill said he thinks senior cast members “won’t be called back for some time” (Credit: ITV)

He added: “I think we, the senior members of the cast, won’t be called back for some time, sadly. I’d like to get back, but we’ll just have to see how it goes.”

William Roache – Coronation Street going off air

Back in April, during an interview on Good Morning Britain, Bill insisted the soap wouldn’t go off air during the pandemic.

I think we, the senior members of the cast, won’t be called back for some time.

Bill was asked by Piers Morgan what would happen if the cast are in a position where they can’t film when episodes run out.

The actor replied: “Well look, we’ve got 60 years to draw on, so I don’t think we’ll be going off air, even when they run out.

Bill has done a few interviews during lockdown (Credit: ITV)

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“There’s plenty they can be showing and doing. But I think we have got about four months in all, or probably three more. I’m not sure.”

Coronation Street airs Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 7.30pm on ITV.

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Charlotte Rodrigues
Soap Contributor
Charlotte Rodrigues joined Entertainment Daily in April 2018, as Audience Engagement Executive. A huge soap fan, Charlotte then became Senior Soap Writer, delivering the latest storylines and spoilers to our followers.