Kenneth "Ken" Barlow is a fictional character from the British ITV
soap opera Coronation Street, played by William Roache. Ken was
created by Tony Warren as one of Coronation Street's original
characters. He debuted in the soap's first episode on 9 December 1960.
Having appeared continuously since, December 2010 marked Ken's 50th
anniversary on-screen, making Roache the longest-serving actor in a
televised soap opera. Roache was honoured at the 2010 Guinness World
Records ceremony for the achievement, when he surpassed actor Don
Hastings from the American soap opera As the World Turns, who
previously held this title. Roache stated in 2010 that he had no plans
to leave the role and would remain in Coronation Street for as long as
they would have him.Ken was introduced as the educated son of a
working-class family. Portrayed as moralistic and a political
activist, Ken differed from the other, predominantly working-class
characters in the soap opera. The character developed a reputation as
a ladies' man; plots saw Ken dating numerous women, marrying four
times to three women (Valerie Tatlock in 1962, Janet Reid in 1972,
Deirdre Hunt in 1981 and again in 2005), fathering four children with
three different women (Lawrence Cunningham in 1961 from Ken's affair
with Susan Cunningham but he never knew about Lawrence until 2010,
Twins in 1965 with Susan Barlow and Peter Barlow from Ken's marriage
to Valerie Tatlock, and in 1995 Daniel Osbourne from Ken's affair with
Denise Osbourne), as well as later adopting Deirdre's daughter Tracy
Barlow. Of the many women Ken has been paired with, his relationship
with Deirdre has been the most enduring. Ken and Deirdre's fictional
relationship made newspaper headlines in Britain in 1983 due to
Deirdre's adultery with Mike Baldwin. The storyline captured both
media and viewer interest. 20 million people tuned in to watch Ken's
discovery of the affair. The storyline lead to a feud between Ken and
Mike, prominent in both characters' narratives until Mike's screen
death in 2006. In March 2017, Coronation Street centred a "whodunit"
storyline around the character, where Ken is pushed down the stairs by
an unknown assailant, with the storyline being dubbed, "Who Attacked
Ken?". On 26 May 2017, Ken's attacker was revealed as his son, Daniel
Osbourne (Rob Mallard).Despite his somewhat antagonistic role in the
show's early years, Ken developed a reputation among critics for
representing an archetypal "boring man". This is an allegation denied
by Roache, who has cited Ken's evolution over the years, his chaotic
love life and dysfunctional family as evidence to the contrary. Roache
has been honoured with a lifetime achievement award at the British
Soap Awards for his portrayal of Ken. Away from the canonical serial,
Ken has been portrayed by James Roache (William Roache's son) in the
dramatisation The Road to Coronation Street, and by Simon Chadwick in
the play Corrie!. He has also been spoofed by impressionist Jon
Culshaw.
soap opera Coronation Street, played by William Roache. Ken was
created by Tony Warren as one of Coronation Street's original
characters. He debuted in the soap's first episode on 9 December 1960.
Having appeared continuously since, December 2010 marked Ken's 50th
anniversary on-screen, making Roache the longest-serving actor in a
televised soap opera. Roache was honoured at the 2010 Guinness World
Records ceremony for the achievement, when he surpassed actor Don
Hastings from the American soap opera As the World Turns, who
previously held this title. Roache stated in 2010 that he had no plans
to leave the role and would remain in Coronation Street for as long as
they would have him.Ken was introduced as the educated son of a
working-class family. Portrayed as moralistic and a political
activist, Ken differed from the other, predominantly working-class
characters in the soap opera. The character developed a reputation as
a ladies' man; plots saw Ken dating numerous women, marrying four
times to three women (Valerie Tatlock in 1962, Janet Reid in 1972,
Deirdre Hunt in 1981 and again in 2005), fathering four children with
three different women (Lawrence Cunningham in 1961 from Ken's affair
with Susan Cunningham but he never knew about Lawrence until 2010,
Twins in 1965 with Susan Barlow and Peter Barlow from Ken's marriage
to Valerie Tatlock, and in 1995 Daniel Osbourne from Ken's affair with
Denise Osbourne), as well as later adopting Deirdre's daughter Tracy
Barlow. Of the many women Ken has been paired with, his relationship
with Deirdre has been the most enduring. Ken and Deirdre's fictional
relationship made newspaper headlines in Britain in 1983 due to
Deirdre's adultery with Mike Baldwin. The storyline captured both
media and viewer interest. 20 million people tuned in to watch Ken's
discovery of the affair. The storyline lead to a feud between Ken and
Mike, prominent in both characters' narratives until Mike's screen
death in 2006. In March 2017, Coronation Street centred a "whodunit"
storyline around the character, where Ken is pushed down the stairs by
an unknown assailant, with the storyline being dubbed, "Who Attacked
Ken?". On 26 May 2017, Ken's attacker was revealed as his son, Daniel
Osbourne (Rob Mallard).Despite his somewhat antagonistic role in the
show's early years, Ken developed a reputation among critics for
representing an archetypal "boring man". This is an allegation denied
by Roache, who has cited Ken's evolution over the years, his chaotic
love life and dysfunctional family as evidence to the contrary. Roache
has been honoured with a lifetime achievement award at the British
Soap Awards for his portrayal of Ken. Away from the canonical serial,
Ken has been portrayed by James Roache (William Roache's son) in the
dramatisation The Road to Coronation Street, and by Simon Chadwick in
the play Corrie!. He has also been spoofed by impressionist Jon
Culshaw.
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