The Barlows are the first family of soap, so it's only right the iconic clan are in focus as Coronation Street celebrates its 60th anniversary.

Advertisement

Ken is still there as the patriarch, making William Roache the longest-serving actor in the world's longest-running soap, and he's still got a whole rabble of rowing relatives around him.

With decades of history behind them, RadioTimes.com untangles how the current crop of Barlows are actually related to each other and fit into the family's long legacy.

Ken Barlow

Coronation Street Ken Barlow
ITV

He's been there since episode one in 1960 and remains at the heart of the street. Now in his 80s, Ken has outlived many relations and is currently surrounded by sons Peter (from late first wife Valerie who died in 1971) and Daniel (from a relationship with Denise Osbourne), adopted daughter Tracy (her mum was his late third wife Deirdre, who died in 2015), and grandkids Adam, Simon, Amy and Bertie. Bear with us, we'll get to how they fit in…

Peter Barlow

peter coronation street

Peter is Ken's son, born in 1965 along with twin sister Susan. His mum Valerie died in 1971 after being electrocuted by a hairdryer, and Susan was killed in a car crash in 2001. Talk about unlucky. Peter has a son, Simon, born in 2003 from his marriage to Lucy Richards, who died in 2008. Peter is half-brother to Tracy and Daniel, and uncle to Susan's son, Adam.

More like this

Tracy Barlow

135924.dcf58109-a5d8-4788-8b96-ef82f98f3839

Born in 1977 to parents Deirdre and Ray Langton, Tracy became a Barlow when Ken adopted her in 1986, five years after marrying her mum. Biological dad Ray ran off when Trace was a baby, but reconciled with his daughter shortly before his death in 2005. Tracy's one-night stand with future husband Steve McDonald resulted in daughter Amy, born in 2004. Tracy is also half-sister to Peter and Daniel, and auntie to Adam, Simon and Bertie.

Daniel Osbourne

daniel coronation street

The product of a brief romance between Ken and hairdresser Denise Osbourne, Daniel was born in 1995 and had little contact with his dad growing up after his mum left the street in 1997. He rejoined the family in 2016 after Ken suffered a stroke. His son, Bertie (named after Ken's beloved Uncle Albert Tatlock, with Albert also being Daniel's middle name) was born in 2019 after he married Sinead Tinker, who died of cancer later that year. Daniel is half-brother to Tracy and Peter, uncle to Adam (even though he's younger than him!), Simon and Amy.

Adam Barlow

ITV JH

Adam's late mum Susan was Ken's daughter, and Peter's twin sister. His father was Mike Baldwin, Ken's former nemesis. Susan was pregnant by hubby Mike when she left him in 1987 and moved to Scotland, but she didn't tell him and he had no idea Adam existed until 2001. In fact none of the family did, except Peter. Susan died in a car crash that year and Mike was given custody of his son, who saw out his education in boarding school. As an adult Adam briefly took the Baldwin name, but after Mike died in 2006 he reverted to Barlow. After living abroad for almost a decade he returned to the cobbles in 2016. Adam is grandson to Ken, nephew to Peter, Tracy and Daniel, and cousin to Simon, Amy and Bertie.

Amy Barlow

itvjh

Born in 2004, Amy's minxy mum Tracy lied she'd slept with a drunk Roy Cropper and he was her baby daddy. Arranging to sell her child to him and Hayley, who planned to name her Patience, Trace admitted her fib when she was born and revealed Steve was the real father. Tracy backed out of her deal with the Croppers (even though married Roy while pregnant), renamed her daughter Amy and co-parented with Steve, who she eventually married. Twice. Amy is Ken's granddaughter, Peter and Daniel's niece, and cousin to Adam, Simon and Bertie. Amy also has a half-sister in Emma Brooker, daughter of Steve and Fiona Middleton. Half-brother Oliver Battersby, son of Steve and Leanne, died in November 2020.

Simon Barlow

coronation street simon barlow

Simon was born in 2003 after his dad Peter married mistress Lucy Richards in secret, before bigamously marrying Shelley Unwin just months later. Player Peter was pretty much banished from his son's life until Lucy's death from cancer in 2008 and he was given custody. Simon was adopted by Leanne Battersby after she wed Peter in 2010, only for the marriage to collapse in 2012 after his affair with Carla Connor who later became his step-mum. Simon is Ken's grandson, Tracy and Daniel's nephew, and cousin to Adam, Amy and Bertie. Adopted half-brother Oliver Battersby, son of Leanne and Steve, died in November 2020.

Bertie Osbourne

corrie bertie

The newest member of the Barlow brood was born in 2019 to Daniel and Sinead, who tragically died of cancer when Bertie was just 10-months-old. Widowed Daniel is raising young Bertie alone, named after Ken's uncle Albert (also Daniel's middle name, as mentioned earlier). He's got the support of the family though: Bertie is Ken's grandson, Peter and Tracy's nephew, and cousin to Adam, Simon and Amy. If the rest of them are anything to go by, little Bertie's got a lot of drama ahead of him…

Advertisement

Visit our dedicated Coronation Street page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers. If you’re looking for more to watch check out our TV guide.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement