Coronation Street’s William Roache is swapping the cobbles for work on a cruise ship with tell-all shows
CORONATION Street star William Roache is swapping the cobbles for cruise ships – after landing a big deal for a series of shows at sea.
The 89-year-old, who has played Ken Barlow for six decades, will be spilling the beans about life on set during his run on the ship.
A source told The Daily Star: “William will be the guest of honour on the cruise. The organisers are confident his star power will boost bookings.
“Millions of viewers have been watching him for decades, so he has a lot of fans.
“He will be taking part in An Audience With… during his time on board.
“He’ll be speaking about his years on Corrie and revealing some behind-the-scenes secrets. We are hoping he will reveal plenty of gossip.”
The cruise – which sets sail in early September – will also feature performances from LuLu and Katherine Jenkins.
The news comes after Bill was forced to take a break from the soap as he battled and overcame Covid.
He has since returned to filming but shows are recorded weeks in advance, so viewers are unlikely to see Bill back on the box until the summer.
We first revealed he was signed off sick earlier this year, and ITV later announced he had Covid.
Our source added: “Anyone else might have taken a lot longer to recover but, despite his age, Bill is as fit as a fiddle.
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“He’s been resting up and following doctor’s orders and is grateful for all the support he’s had from the show.
“He’s also had loads of cards and letters from fans.”
Bill has been a regular on the cobbles since Corrie’s first episode in 1960.