HOW CORRIE

ROMANCE Ken with lover Susan Cunningham

- BY MARC BAKER

Ken with lover Susan Cunningham

Bill Roache as Coronation Street's Ken Barlow has been part of the nation’s fixtures and fittings for the past 65 years.

But the world’s longest-serving TV soap actor, 93, has admitted he cut a couple of corners early in his career.

The first fib came after he had turned his back on studying to be a doctor, like his dad. Bill had a place at medical college after two years’ National Service in the Gulf with the Royal Welch Fusiliers, where he reached the rank of captain.

But he had been in his school’s drama society and wanted to act. He auditioned at an address in London’s Belgrave Square and over the phone was offered £49 a day for two days' work. Bill says: “He said: ‘You are a member of Equity [the actors’ union] aren't you?’ I heard this voice tell me to say ‘yes’.

“Two days later I got the contract and went to Equity’s head office. I told them I'd been offered this part and wasn’t a member. They told me to fill in a form.

“From then on, I met real actors for the first time and found out about a magazine that had all the contacts in and I wrote lots of letters.”

Bill had been keen enough to write to the director of every film he saw. He says: “I did not get many replies.”

Blagging his Equity card, emboldened him. He says: “I went to an agent's office one day and told a pack of lies.”