kenneth long standing fictional character itv soap opera coronation street played created coronation street original characters debuted soap episode december having appeared continuously programme inception december marked 50th anniversary screen time officially longest serving actor televised soap opera honoured ceremony achievement surpassed actor american soap opera world turns previously held title stated plans leave role remain coronation street long introduced educated son working class family portrayed political activist differed predominantly working class characters soap opera character developed reputation ladies man plots saw dating numerous women marrying times women children adopting daughter women paired relationship enduring fictional relationship newspaper headlines britain adultery storyline captured media viewer interest million people tuned watch discovery affair storyline lead feud mike prominent characters narratives mike screen death despite somewhat antagonistic role early years developed reputation critics representing boring man allegation denied cited evolution years chaotic love life dysfunctional family evidence contrary honoured lifetime achievement award portrayal away canonical serial portrayed son road coronation street play storylines born raised coronation street october eldest son born frank intelligent pupil attends grammar school passing plus exam wins scholarship lives parents brother david studying gains second class honours degree history english educated politically minded differs family neighbours source friction father frank believes trying distance working class roots writes scathing newspaper article neighbours frank community outraged mother dies motor accident turns teaching post support father frank continue clash frank leaves david frank deaths respectively leave sole surviving begins teaching marries july years later exotic dancer marriage survives twins peter susan born april january affair reporter leaves finds later persuaded return continues stand political beliefs spends seven days prison march arrested protesting left single parent following death january left supported uncle shares close relationship caring twins proves difficult sent live grandparents glasgow numerous including night stand relationship occurs marries hope mother children refuses separate life kills taking turns reconciliation leaves wife supports marry stepfather year old daughter tracy grows bored affair rival marriage suffers couple separate eventually divorce following affair colleague local newspaper takes separation badly attempts suicide prevented friend mike moral remain enemies daughter susan falls love short lived marriage mike mike compete woman dumped mike favour starts seeing christmas day mike alma bed later falls pupil mothers baldwin feud mike father son mark mike hates thought spending christmas day son pride gets better handle situation split relationship fathers child son daniel born agrees marry having affair brother law time leaves leaving daniel short lived custody later year returns daniel attempts reclaim son fail remain close despite relationships reunite following encouragement mother eventually april discovers slept remain supports loses teaching post assaulting pupil marital problems arise following mike death grows jealous grief reaction leaves home tries rebuild relationship estranged son daniel daniel mother single gets wrong idea attempts romance advances returns stray meeting falls love martha plans leave returning eventually admits infidelity angry later kissing relations strained couple acknowledge mutual marriage remain late august discovers letter addressed dating 1960s letter written girlfriend dated susan son named turns child lawrence bond temporarily threatens relationship son peter discovers lawrence homosexuality son james james contact realising peter years makes effort bond supporting relationship health problems follow creation development casting original coronation street characters devised series creator debut soap episode broadcast december original roles drawn casting director contacts north england warren spotted performing television play marking time knew right actor play declined invitation audition wasn interested flat london getting acting parts looked changed mind insistence agent attended audition asked read daily_telegraph newspaper lancashire accent believes indifference cast positive impact audition enabled relax pilot episodes filmed played actor later cast role original character initially offered role thirteen episode week contract agent convinced enhance exposure broadcast marking time coronation street hit viewers contract extended given month contract early followed year contract june year deemed amazing security time leading hand mouth existence series long running soap opera airing multiple times weekly continued role gradually ceased affect lancashire accent originally earned episode compared episode earned stated initially intended feature coronation street short time filmed transmitted impact realised special time needed sure wasn mistake sign later said known turn life work run mile according writer partly responsible street soap set coronation street serves programme title soap originally titled street commissioned reportedly street changed coronation street longevity character original cast remained serial original character remain continuously 50th year revealed role serial threatened producer dubbed mad axe man took helm coronation street variety characters serial including fan favourite characters wished axe kind hit list characters decided wanted including warning likely given later date recalls potential storyline devised wife australia given removed position spiritual enlightenment desire self improvement led consider series early 1970s struggled ego driven profession ultimately decided stay decision happy retrospect series way felt personally pledged stay coronation street thinking retiring isn option don want consider love street want want carry don care said people ask played role years try explain haven like human beings thanks clever script writers evolved married times head totally dysfunctional family son peter alcoholic daughter tracy convicted murderer actors chance perform scenes content like characterisation created modern times suggested read political cultural history half century soap early years frequently presented saw anti intellectual climate author suggested ashamed working class roots obviously higher aspirations stuck coronation street notes portrayed nice young guy happy help considers guardian responsible ensuring actions dialogue remain true character responsibility lead year quarrel star insisted character undermine argument annoyed scene stripped dramatic impact rowed phoenix speak outside scenes years article daily_mail stated beginning angry young man student representative millions benefited post war reforms free education gifted guardian likened scholarship boy uprooted anxious figure education alienated working class origins suggested led called life life upward trajectory professional career living year year taking job turns added refused half century stress consumer added modern standards wasted education life played little wealth creation stuck house lived student leading life political stance left liberal described famous fictional reader guardian newspaper attracts readers mainstream left british political opinion journalism left wing publications years occasionally shown frustrated political views shared scathing article wrote newspaper labelled neighbours lazy minded politically ignorant real culture advance human insight scientific progress led clashes father occasionally espoused socialist ideology suggests liberal fair minded guy looking right society man integrity fights thinks right author discussed evolution began bit eyes working class father frank matured sound family man changed teacher newspaper owner jobs threw away liked big fish small pond manner feeling superior intellect little suggested transformed angry young man fitted challenging system bore door eventually discovering couldn change world little dubbed coronation street elder statesman lynch pin man greek tragedy greatest survivor character reputation critics boring man morals dubbed boring man history coronation street stated dubbed boring ultimately intelligent man frustrated cards life dealt hair clothes strong morals haven helped popular perception boring originated view time mike love triangle storyline label particularly numerous romantic tenure called street resident intellectual managed break free roots relationships renowned having multiple relationships women time coronation street discussing author suggested numerous relationships impression character great romantic noted inaccurate great romantic wise trust romantic emotional future fact characters audiences tend want warn female characters stay away end tears feels approach romance early tenure educated intellectual revealed typical northern working class man heart explained sort wanted wife stay home look kids sure house run smoothly went work pursue career old fashioned ways way left women relationships remind trait character relationships marred despite generally meaning assessed decades coronation street ruthless streak women involved somewhat initially sensitive thinking liked idea having wife time found wrong flirting going woman itv publicity noted relationships stating street male residents periods married times dated women including character played unknown actress played daughter notable relationship serial character neighbouring schools gave common ground relaxed attitude working relationship popular viewers attributed success citing helpful element screen chemistry married august executive producer aware popularity requested evening duty officer available night broadcast order phone calls viewers calls million viewers watched wedding episode thrilled reaction wedding initially skeptical impact marriage development said sort young semi days thought getting married going finish felt given aspirations upward social mobility desire leave marriage conflicted characterisation realised necessary writers anchor area gave birth twins peter susan housewife look scenes involving child actors filmed separately episodic shoots avoid unwanted noise scenes storyline start looking children frequently grew bored leave accused attempted murder occasion small house fire occurred twins trapped inside marriage caused affair kissing scenes written scripts production team clear having sexual relationship storyline horrified viewers received abusive letters angry fans knew short affair occur pair screen convinced end affair found enjoyed aftermath added new dimension married man kids good intentions liable stray clearly trouble resisting woman marriage came end following decision leave role having grown bored playing character producers opted kill briefly concerned departure result written recalls twins scenario consideration relief kept died trying faulty hair fatal shock knocked electric setting house fire dubbed sensational soap departures record audience tuned death scripted following episode ended walking burned remains home scene deemed enjoyable satisfying moments coronation street second marriage serial character named relationship short lived buildup marriage returned scotland introduced wife storyline fast pace angered stressed cross thing wedding arrived build like idea wasn happy storyline unpopular viewers approve wedding unpopular character previous affairs males said perceived treating openly showed dislike children sent boarding school situation saw realise marriage match whilst feeling lonely chance happiness breakdown marriage accompanied little dubbed series spectacular rows saw violent row followed discovery plans send twins boarding school later exercise drama schools deemed nice compliment involved creating moment split included series years occasionally return late asked reprise role final time returned screen asked chance claiming changed rejects commits suicide taking recalled exhausting scenes filmed said substantial dramatic tracking scenes discovered dead bed described shattered death felt guilty fact try help situation initially suspected murdering played introduced coronation street character synonymous narrative early 1980s wife combined audience million viewers tuned wedding coincided professional actor feared boring self confidence said beginning look ordinary turn knock effect started lose confidence actor went time scared drying able remember lines start wonder ability remember lines act way damaging writers longer knew rarely past voiced concerns series producer dismayed character floating state believes included stronger stuff result including storyline affair rival storyline devised producer recalls normal story conference looked marriage idea having affair somebody street extremely debated opposite view points expressed watson believes actors feel disturbed uncomfortable prospect character experience turn thought scenario generated best performances actors careers concluded proved theory correct praised performance infamous scene comes face face mike following discovery affair showdown originally scripted differently intended stand watch mike disliked version believed response lacked realism partly previous frustration lame characterisation approached episode director requested allowed hit mike filming set planned scene allow agreed attempt hit mike intervene transmitted scene intervene resulting attempting recalls time looked words supposed happen knew didn ring true poor annie wasn prepared happened actually burst tears performance shaken came moment knock door got bigger shock baldwin asked phone called earlier slammed door shut left hand slammed poor annie door leaving shaken shocked way living room heart brian left cameras rolling capturing anne genuine distress storyline described volatile explosive programme history recalls viewers taking seriously point received letters reading dear know seeing wife related decided stop seeing mike stay old night message couple splitting football fans amid cheers crowd million viewers tuned episode attained soap second highest recorded overnight ratings surpassed farewell episode described soap opera version relationship featured affairs break ups years couple marriage eventually early 1990s time affair colleague ended divorce kicked home new year day relationship continued having producers decided reunite said pleased fit perfectly lives created time coronation street gone silly things affairs people need got older second marriage watched estimated million viewers compared million watched wedding prince charles following day coincidentally wedding screened hours princess diana wedding wedding attracted viewers royal wedding complimentary states loves loves love explaining ends returning said screen pretty years camera like old married couple ups downs lived come paired romantically romance chances reconciliation recent actually planning reunite actress fell ill written scripts changed paired instead black suggested romance came annual described matched pair destined spend lives storyline fathered son daniel relationship wedding planned plot twist revealed unable hold primitive check having affair brother law brian discovery happiness away described circumstances character worst moments discussed character relationship revealing believed engaged infidelity thing love men brian loves completely love loves guilt goes scenario doesn mean cause pain problem doesn know coming going discovered truth wedding called telling kill following revelation amidst fallout leaving son custody facilitated black desire month break serial character returned winter storyline black having decided quit role return storyline scripted coincide coronation street increase weekly episodes focused custody battle daniel daniel source time discussed storyline reaction losing son devastated returns home week christmas finds son gone simply believe woman dumped immediately starts custody battle plays heavily fact mother claims relationship wife actually goes court support gets angry finds tries use friendship daniel awarded custody left coronation street lost contact son reintroduced months decade appeared tracked son following marital led interactions turned visit black pleased invited saying don think baby forget return catalyst cause problems marriage having grown brief return advances rejected written january played new love interest introduced meets martha canal walking dog martha reveals theatre actress travels performances barge seeks martha helps lines told happy find like minded person easy talk enjoys telling martha problems son grandchildren asked mentions said martha asks peter tells dead truth martha automatically assumes doesn right chooses mention martha believed angry found revealed thinking having affair martha feelings storyline wife died given leave soap writers forced storyline martha eventually relationship considers leaving changes mind minute martha leaves radio_times said martha perfectly bit graham said martha allowed middle class heart sing pair love books plays relationships martha prison sentence graham said martha offered parole years breaking rocks prison yard marriage hoped martha soon deserved following conclusion relationship expressed interest having introduced future actor said thought great year having girlfriend especially age great lost count mention weddings martha romance later depicted musical stage said romance genuinely funny relationships screen relationship dated episodes ashamed family background constantly frustrated susan actually liked coronation street years later relationship left susan pregnant resulting birth son lawrence susan early love interests included librarian years senior hotel met route wife funeral young shop assistant married woman moved making coronation street unmarried couple believes love feelings intense recalls discussion introducing series come fruition separating friend glamorous successful wealthy interesting according line offers insight truly belongs coronation street despite desires contrary number involved declined 1980s onwards states relationships tended bigger involved later love interests included family parents frank strained relationship apparent scene conflict arose reluctance eat meal brown sauce called good character defining stuff established father borne desire abandon roots death mother illuminated father son relationship recalls relationship stormy views attitude frank wrong way number issues fact thrown death living provided left series later cast members fired tenure producer parents left street originally intended sister named warren decided inclusion instead created younger brother professional david enable represent teenage males feels underlying existed david stemmed fact advantage university education brother bored looking children peter susan death problems occurred longer able cope writers initially uncertain continue single father dispatch children pursue lifestyle said tried bring kids wasn good sent glasgow live mother law remained contact recalled saying right scotland suggested subsequent problems children adulthood fault blame turned kids scotland didn look don want happy family street want wonderful dysfunctional like got great wonderful animosity children explored programme duration took role peter 2000s suggested lot tension peter dysfunctional nature family guilt twins upbringing led youngest son daniel keen avoid repeating past mistakes close relationship resulted challenging series producers script required allow daniel taken away mother actor felt accept fight apologised late write plot death responsible looking uncle albert later known uncle albert albert attempts interfere life stage making plans leave albert revealed pay bills pension opted stay storyline called turning point realised belonged coronation street help community albert alike moved albert gradually saw son enjoyed opportunity work closely met characterised albert relationship little uncomfortable underlying affection slight antagonistic relationship acid mother law mother described favourite subject matter wit described long suffering bore remarks looks occasion accused homosexual affair martha exposed took comments far staying resulted thrown household forced live peter seen family modern era holding willing wit aside fight ensure stayed time interfered life death managed final remark aimed storyline described giving chance laugh announced children james joining cast played long lost son grandson respectively storyline finds letter secret son short term girlfriend said looked forward immensely working children anniversary year reunion short lived rift lawrence james lawrence accept fact james homosexual producers decided run storyline highlight fact exists gay rights activists approved storyline producers showed sides issue screen opposed lawrence views decided embrace james sexuality urged true ignore father views lawrence agree liberal stance james returns stay grateful chance know better sees james intellectual match lot respect educated young man carried away moved intelligent conversation feud television researcher discussed appeal soap operas suggested soap stories finally resolved conflicts characters run programme history hatred example suggesting viewers welcome sense stability offers element change offers enjoyment viewers suggested itv documentary mike hatred clash cultures versus baldwin cut thrust money claimed jealous mike rich successful claimed reason disliked mike self centred self individual feud mike spanning years began discovered wife having affair baldwin dislike mike pre dated affair stated truth liked having wife affair mike turned dislike hatred wonderful programme mention baldwin barely contained anger absolutely wonderful best characters tolerated uneasy truce worst threw insults punches relationship ran years end time little going relationship going uneasy love triangle storyline said way captured nation amazing talking men shouting mike people disappointed went storyline significant cultural impact press claiming country divided thought remain thought leave mike book suggested spent nineteen years unable cope sense rejection betrayal caused mike affair rivalry characters mike married daughter susan union strongly opposed numerous fights mike featured suggested famous fight pair occurred confronted mike factory mike daughter confrontation said classic baldwin getting territory factory took lot angry way mike treated daughter furious marched office let rare times caught mike guard mike shown revenge took years screen scene aired mike punched knocking table return public house suggested old hands screen enjoyed stunts according incident left injury fell backwards mike forced work featured storyline dubbed siege mike series regulars held gunpoint soap local supermarket working episode broadcast watershed depiction violence mike bound armed facilitated end feud helped mike combat panic attack pair resolved past temporary mike fathered son adam brief marriage kept baby secret mike discovered adam existence susan attempted flee killed motor accident followed battle mike custody adam adamant mike look grandson storyline lead fifth mike soap history pair funeral susan feud came end screen quit role mike mike killed dying disease died arms final scenes dying mike found wandering streets mike arms rivals talked old times mike died signifying end year feud promote mike final scenes radio_times released series photographs mike painting death baldwin shown surrounded nearest final moments prominently positioned taking role captain hardy nelson trusted colleague nelson famously kiss died producer said fact mike dies arms says mike life battles kept going like spent lives scenes suggested version mountain elderly mike miss bust ups reflecting feud gave reasons thinks mike clashed felt threatened mike arrived street exciting bill nice guy loyal guy reliable guy isn terribly exciting exciting guy mike comes bit flash isn liked physical acting punch ups johnny probably best bits shall miss terribly appearances media september coinciding 50th anniversary coronation street bbc aired drama film entitled road coronation street depicted struggle soap opera commissioned filming pilot appeared film played son james itv filmed spin web based series featuring entitled stories created coronation street writer featured events day bed said episode carefully crafted injected humour warmth drama content takes coronation street new exciting territory personally thoroughly exciting comedy play coronation street released entitled penned played production harvey suggested researched play storylines years coronation street characters regularly featured harvey tried shape play journeys years february coronation street characters portrait auctioned charity exhibition street black white shots taken photographer raised charity highest bid photograph shot standing rubble crash storyline marking 50th anniversary itv began selling coronation street merchandise featuring including gift wrap novelty cards parody song written character entitled included debut album funny times track features vocals impressions having secret affair wanted include impression saying looking excuse decided pat secret romantic motorway service station setting stage musical street dreams debuted production based coronation street featured playing screen alias pre recorded segment actors television series feature musical included played respectively reception portrayal won lifetime achievement award november surpassed soap opera world turns longest serving soap opera actor honoured ceremony new_york named personalities year performances mike love triangle storyline journalist independent suggested given accolades deserved performer longevity role felt common assumption merely playing screen notion remarkable acting performance added tend actors repeatedly display versatility ways harder inhabit role decades said sheer staying power bill clearly lived street practically life role able watch evolution young man know today self years experiences frankly wonders british television reputation boring british band highlighted point song descending comparing member underground music scene lyric like like despite fictional critic writing daily_mirror labelled boring man meet sued libel sun newspaper ran article branding boring making allegations disliked cast coronation street said jury court case felt extremely distressed believe words written past broke sweat saying job joke storyline writers true added regard people find wives boring fine won case awarded forced pay legal costs suggested remarkable labelled boring spite plots involved years said easy despite extraordinary number broken relationships personal crises wake tends pulse race opens mouth usually opens drink halves bitter sensible worthy years nearest thing fictional area coronation street located social conscience channel televised poll broadcast voted hated character time coming radio_times poll people chose soap character like retired came second poll den television personality wrote foreword autobiography years street hailed iconic british soap characters time great integral coronation street guardian suggested coronation street influenced soap opera characters stated heavily resident intellectual looking nose like poor faced people coronation street miserable brooding terrible burden mighty intellect face rarely pays clever rich majority rely tragic falls grace laughs viewers complained itv media broadcast scenes comments christianity spokesperson defended opinions expressed scripts saying coronation street soap opera set modern society represents views religious spectrum guardian columnist spoke highly affair calling muted ingenious storyline radio_times critical storyline comes self takes claims cake nursing notion thwarted life decides leave sail sunset possibly martha years doesn realise dead weight life bbc said record breaking time hit soap character led life incident holy soap suggested labelled local newspaper client died halfway eating meal memorable moment writing daily_mail said soap operas cultural suggested exception read newspapers books book said brother david initially represented younger males society noted relationships hardly described early dirty den character notable soap opera
Ken Barlow