There have been a number of character exits from the soap in recent months.
Coronation Street boss Iain MacLeod has said that William Roache will ‘never be axed’.
The actor, who plays Ken Barlow on the ITV soap, has been a mainstay on the show since the very first episode back in 1960, and holds a Guinness World Record as the longest-serving soap star.
Asked whether Roache, now aged 93, can stay for as long as he wishes, MacLeod told The Sun: “Absolutely. I mean, it would be a brave producer team that took that decision.”
He added: “Whatever you give him, even now, he’s on point. He’s on his dialogue, he’s the most professional member of the cast."
He continued: “I don’t know how many more records there are to break in that field, but I hope he breaks them all.”
In December, The Sun reported that Roache’s contract to appear on the soap had been extended for another year.
The news of Roache remaining on the soap comes amid a number of long-serving character exits from the soap in recent months.
Billy Mayhew, played by Daniel Brocklebank, was killed off after 11 years last week, while Dee-Dee Bailey, played by Channique Sterling-Brown, departed from the soap towards the end of 2025.
Eileen Grimshaw, played Sue Cleaver, Daisy Midgeley, played by Charlotte Jordan and Craig Tinker, who was portrayed by Colson Smith, also left the cobbles last year.
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Coronation Street airs weeknights at 8.30pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
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Molly Moss is a Trends Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest trends across TV, film and more. She has an MA in Newspaper Journalism and has previously written for publications including The Guardian, The Times and The Sun Online.
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