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Over the past six decades, actor William ‘Bill’ Roache has found himself at the heart of some of Coronation Street’s biggest storylines. From heartwarming romances and shocking affairs to being involved in the Barlow family drama, it’s been anything but plain sailing for Ken Barlow.
The actor made his debut in the role when he was only 28 years old and has continued to be a Weatherfield staple. Along with being given a Guinness World Record for the longest-serving television star in a continuous role, his career was also recognised by royalty.
In 2022, he was awarded an OBE by King Charles for his services to drama and charity. Although, it seems as though there are some aspects of Bill’s life which are similar to his long-standing role.
One of which includes his past infidelity during his younger years with his first wife. As the Coronation Street star turns 92, Express.co.uk has taken a look into the soap star’s life, from his long-standing career, heartbreaking deaths and romantic regrets.
The soap star has been married twice, his first marriage being to Anna Cropper back in 1961, although 13 years later she filed for divorce due to his infidelity.
Speaking about cheating on Anna in the past, he confessed: “I regret it deeply. I had the opportunity, but that doesn’t mean I should do it. I had rehearsals up in Manchester from Monday to Friday. The opportunity was there.
“There were plenty of girls around. I shouldn’t have done it. I didn’t have any control over my own sex drive. I didn’t have the strength to control it.”
One of his rendezvous involved a one-off time with his former co-star Pat Phoenix, who played Elsie Tanner in the soap. Admitting that they had had a few drinks after she invited him back to her flat, the actor confessed they weren’t right for each other.
During his marriage to Anna, they had two children together, Vanya and Linus. Sadly, his first wife died in 2007 at the age of 68.
In the past, it was believed the soap star had bedded over 1,000, after speaking to Piers Morgan in an old episode of Life Stories.
Although Bill has since denied there being any truth to this, which he highlighted in his 2018 book Life and Soul.
Speaking about the incident, Bill said: “He [Piers] continued to press me for numbers and asked if it was 1,000 women, all I said was: ‘It could be. I don’t know.’
“Well, it went viral – ‘Bill Roache slept with 1,000 women’. And I’d never said I had, but I took it with good humour.”
Along with having two children from his first wife, Bill went on to remarry again in 1978. He tied the knot with Sarah Mottram, who is also an actress having played Jenny Anstey in Emmerdale in the past.
They had three children together: Verity, Edwina and James, who has followed in his father’s footsteps as an actor himself.
Sadly, the Coronation Street star has lost two of his children, one of which includes Edwina when she was 18 months old in 1984.
Detailing how he and Sarah believed their daughter had a bad cold at the time, it was later revealed she died from acute bronchial pneumonia.
Speaking about her quick death to OK! Magazine in 2018, he confessed: “Sara went to check on Edwina and she was fine. An hour later she checked her again and she had gone. It was very tough for both of us.
“We had a sense of guilt and tried to work out why it happened. There was nothing we could have done but it wasn’t easy.”
In 2009, Sarah suddenly died in 2009 at the age of 58 of natural causes.
Bill also sadly lost his other daughter Vanya, who was battling liver failure, in 2018 at the age of 50.
He revealed to The Mirror that he was involved in a car crash attempting to see her in the hospital before her final moments, which he tragically missed.
Detailing how the sat-nav had taken them down a country road in the snow, he said: “The car just went straight on, smashed a sign, went over a traffic island and hit a hedgerow, smashing the whole front of the car.
“It was 10.30pm. Recovery said they couldn’t get out for five hours. By the time I got to her, it was too late.”
Despite reportedly earning £250,000 a year from his role on the ITV soap, the actor was recently given three months to pay off his debt to HMRC.
Although the exact figure of what he owes is undisclosed, it’s been rumoured he has a tax bill of £546,000.
With the case being revisited again on June 10, it could be the second time he faces bankruptcy as he was previously declared bankrupt in 1999.
This isn’t the first time the soap star has been embroiled in owing money as in 2018, the actor faced a hefty bill after allegedly investing in a £500 million tax avoidance scheme.
However, it’s unknown how much Bill had allegedly invested in Twofold First Services LLP.
