Coronation Street have cast Absolutely Fabulous actress Helen Lederer in a guest role as a love interest for the show’s oldest character Ken Barlow.
Known for once being the cobbles biggest lothario (Bill Roache) and desperate to prove he still can still woo the ladies at the age of 91, Ken embarks on speed dating.
After being single for near a decade following the death of his beloved wife Deirdre in 2015, he catches the eye of fellow dater Elspeth (played by comedian Helen, 69).
Ken attends the speed dating event with ex-son in law Steve McDonald (Simon Gregson) and leaves the Taxi firm owner gutted when, despite his advancing age, manages to outdo him in the romance stakes.
Speaking about the role Helen, who will appear in one Wednesday March 27, described her character as ‘forward and bold’.
Coronation Street have cast Absolutely Fabulous actress Helen Lederer in a guest role as a love interest for the show’s oldest character Ken Barlow (Bill Roach)
Known for once being the cobbles biggest lothario and desperate to prove he still can still woo the ladies at the age of 91, Ken embarks on speed dating
After being single for near a decade following the death of his beloved wife Deirdre in 2015, he catches the eye of fellow dater Elspeth (played by comedian Helen, 69)
Helen (C) found fame in Ab Fab as Catorina, pictured with co-stars Joanna Lumley (L) and Harriet Thorpe (R)
She also admitted that one of the biggest draws to taking the part was the opportunity to act opposite Bill, who has appeared on the soap since it’s first episode in 1960.
Saying: ‘I had met him once before when I sat next to him at an event and I thought what a lovely man he was and so personable. So for me to be offered this brief role was a joy’.
And despite only appearing briefly Helen teased that Ken took Elspeth’s number during their scenes and she very well return to the soap should he call.
As well as playing Catriona in Ab Fab, the actress has also appeared in Hollyoaks, Celebrity Big Brother and Agatha Christie’s Marple.
It comes after the actor was given a three month deadline to clear his huge tax debt in order to ‘allow for the sale of property’ on Monday.
William earns a reported £250,000 a year playing Ken Barlow on the long-running soap but has racked up a half-a-million debt to the taxman.
He entered an agreement in 2018 to clear the £588,015.18 bill, but according to reports last month he has only paid £41,666.65 so far.
Bill is looking to sell off some property to clear the debt with The Sun reporting in February a prospective buyer had pulled out of a deal.
Ken attends the speed dating event with ex-son in law Steve McDonald (Simon Gregson, right) and leaves the Taxi firm owner gutted when, despite his advancing age, manages to outdo him in the romance stakes
Speaking about the role Helen, who will appear in one Wednesday March 27, described her character as ‘forward and bold’
The High Court has now given him a 12-week adjournment in order to ‘allow for the sale of property’.
Bill did not appear at a specialist hearing, where lawyers for HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) said the sum the actor owes – which was not disclosed in court – has been reduced due to payments made.
Jacquille Jarrett, for HMRC, said Bill had asked for a 12-week adjournment, which was unopposed, to ‘allow for the sale of property’.
Retired Insolvency and Companies Court judge Stephen Baister granted the adjournment and said Bill’s case will return in June.
‘Splendid,’ Dr Baister said at the end of the hearing, which lasted less than a minute, at the High Court in London.
Bill is best known for his portrayal of Ken Barlow in the ITV soap for more than 60 years after making his debut in its first episode in 1960.
He has wed three times during his sex decades on the show with Deirdre (Anne Kirbride) being the most memorable (pictured together 1989)
Dynasty star Stephanie Beacham also appeared as a love interest for Ken in the role of actress Martha Fraser
He has wed three times during his sex decades on the show with Deirdre (Anne Kirbride) being the most memorable.
They were first married in 1981 and their relationship was rocky to be say the least.
Shortly after tying the knot for the first time, Deirdre had an affair with Mike Baldwin (played by Johnny Briggs) after she found Ken boring.
And while the relationship miraculously survived, it soon came to a devastating end when after Ken had an affair with his secretary Wendy Cozier (Roberta Kerr) in 1989.
They divorced in the 80s only to remarry in 2005 which tragically ended after her off-screen death in 2015, in the wake of the passing of actress Anne Kirkbride.
Before Deirdre, Ken was briefly married to Janet (Judith Barker) in 1973.
After the death of his first wife, Ken married Janet soon after so that his twins would have a lovely mother.
But, the pair would often not see eye-to-eye, with Janet not keen on having the kids at home and also disappointed by Ken’s lack of ambition.
In 1977, Janet turned up on Ken’s doorstep asking him to take her back but he refused, which led her to taking taking her own life.
Valerie (Anne Reid) was Ken’s first wife and mother to Peter (Chris Gascoyne) and Susan (Joanna Foster).
They got married in 1962 and were smitten until her devastating accidental death in 1971.
Ken then agreed to take a teaching position in Jamaica and the family were preparing to emigrate.
While getting ready for her own going away party, Valerie was electrified by a faulty hairdryer.
Bill, who holds the Guinness World Record for the longest serving TV soap star in the world, was made an OBE in the Queen’s New Year Honours list in December 2021 for his services to drama and charity.
It comes after the actor was given a three month deadline to clear his huge tax debt in order to ‘allow for the sale of property’ on Monday
