Coronation Street exit 'sealed' for Ken Barlow after chilling health scare storyline
Coronation Street's Ken Barlow finds himself in hospital next week after a horror fall, sparking fears for the character's exit after more than 60 years on the cobbles.
Coronation Street's stalwart Ken Barlow, played by William Roache, is set to face a health scare in the upcoming episodes. During Stu Carpenter's (Bill Fellows) birthday celebration, Bobby Crawford (Jack Carroll) notices Ken's unsteady gait after apologising for getting Daniel Osbourne (Rob Mallard) into trouble.
Feeling under the weather, Ken decides to head home. A worried Bobby, unable to get a response at Ken's door, peeks through the letterbox only to find Ken collapsed at the bottom of the stairs, prompting him to call an ambulance.
Daniel and Steve McDonald (Simon Gregson) rush to visit Ken in the hospital, where they learn that he will require constant care during his recovery. Steve reassures Ken that the family will rally around him to ensure he receives the necessary care at home, eliciting a forced smile from Ken.
Ken Barlow is one of the original characters of Coronation Street, with December 2020 marking his 60th anniversary on screen. He first appeared in the soap's debut episode on 9 December 1960.
With his continuous portrayal of Ken, Bill holds the record for the longest-serving actor in a televised soap opera, a feat recognised at the 2010 Guinness World Records ceremony. This surpassed the previous record held by Don Hastings from the American soap opera As the World Turns.
In 2010, he declared that he had no intention of leaving the role and would stay on Coronation Street as long as the producers wanted him.
In November 2020, Bill was once again awarded the Guinness World Record for being the longest-serving TV soap star globally, marking his six decades on Coronation Street.
Devoted fans of the ITV soap will recall that this isn't Ken's first tumble down the stairs.
Back in March 2017, a 'whodunnit?' plot revolved around the character, with the revelation two months later that it was his son Daniel Osborne (Rob Mallard) who had pushed him.
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However, could an exit be on the cards for Ken following his health scare?
Ken's grandson, Simon (Alex Bain) has also recently exited the soap to go and live with his father Peter Barlow (Chris Gascoyne).
In a previous interview, Bill discussed whether he wants to retire, he said: "My aim is to be 100 and still working on Coronation Street
"People will say, 'When are you retiring?' But then what happens? Whilst I can do it, and whilst they will have me, I have no intention of retiring."
"I am so fortunate to work for an organisation that is happy to have me. For me, it’s really just the same as ever. Getting on with it, steady as you go. If you enjoy doing something, keep doing it."
Coronation Street airs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm on ITV.
