Coronation Street legend Bill Roache has revealed that he had a two-year feud with one of his ‘unprofessional’ co-stars.
The actor, 93, who has portrayed Ken Barlow since Corrie began in 1960, disclosed this during a rare public appearance with some of his co-stars for An Audience With Coronation Street in Salford.
Reflecting on his disagreement with the late Pat Phoenix, who played Elsie Tanner, Bill noted they had a falling out during a scene involving the death of his then on-screen wife, Valerie Tatlock (Anne Reid), in 1971.
He said: ‘I had a scene where she’d said something unkind to my wife, and I told her off.
‘Pat said to the director: “I don’t think she’d take this from this young man…” She wanted to take a particular action, and the director agreed, saying: “Yes, Pat, anything you want.”
‘So Pat asked me to pause so she could throw an ashtray at me. I replied: “No, Pat, you know what you’ve done here, and as far as I’m concerned, it’s unprofessional.” We didn’t speak for two years.’
Coronation Street legend Bill Roache, 93, has revealed that he had a two-year feud with one of his ‘unprofessional’ co-stars at a live event
Reflecting on his disagreement with the late Pat Phoenix, who portrayed Elsie Tanner (pictured with Jim Sedgewick), he explained that their falling out happened during a scene involving the passing of his then on-screen wife, Valerie Tatlock (Anne Reid), in 1971.
The off-screen tiff occurred when the actors clashed over the events surrounding the intensity of the character’s death, which involved her being electrocuted by a hairdryer.
While the pair continued to act together on the iconic soap, their relationship when the cameras weren’t rolling remained frosty for a whopping two years.
Bill added: ‘Two years later, we’re standing together waiting to film a scene, still not talking and it was her birthday coming up.
‘She said “Oh I suppose you’d better come to my party then,” and we became good friends after that!’
The veteran actor said that, prior to finding fame on Corrie, his late friend had been trying to make it in the entertainment business for several years.
As a result, when she finally made a name for herself, Bill said, she absolutely loved her new life as a celebrity.
Pat was a familiar face to viewers of the show in years gone by and played Elsie between 1960 and 1973.
She returned to the show in 1976 but left again in 1982 – a mere two years before she passed away at the age of 62 from lung cancer.
The actor (pictured here in the first-ever Corrie episode) made the revelation during a rare public appearance with some of his co-stars for An Audience With Coronation Street in Salford
Pat was a familiar face to viewers of the show in years gone by and played Elsie between 1960 and 1973 – she returned to the show in 1976 but left again in 1982
Bill was recently honoured for his work as an actor with the Lifetime Achievement Award at The Entertainment Agents’ Awards.
Accepting the award, he said he hopes to still be on the cobbles when he is 100.
He said: ‘It’s a huge honour to receive this award, and I am very grateful for it.
‘I’ve enjoyed a wonderful career and to have spent so many years working on such a special programme like Coronation Street has been magical.
‘I’ve been fortunate to work with some absolutely incredible actors over that period and made a lifetime of memories.
‘I’m looking forward to being in the programme for many more years to come – hopefully until I am 100!’
