Actor Bill Roache, aka Ken Barlow: “It’s going to be bleak without Anne”
Coronation Street actor William Roache will deliver a tribute to his former co-star Anne Kirkbride at the National Television Awards in London later.
The actor, who plays Kirkbride’s on-screen husband Ken Barlow, will take to the stage at the ceremony, which will be screened live on ITV.
Kirkbride, who played Deirdre Barlow, died from a short illness on Monday.
On Tuesday, Roache said: “To have her as a partner for the past 40 years, I couldn’t have been more blessed.”
He remembered her as an “impeccable performer with superb comedy timing and an immense gift for really heightened drama”.
He said: “I feel Anne’s loss so personally having worked closely with her for over 40 years. You always knew she was there because her laugh was never far away.”
Many of Kirkbride’s other co-stars will also be at the National Television Awards (NTA) ceremony, where Coronation Street will be in the running for the best serial drama prize.
A tribute to Anne Kirkbride was left in the green room of the old Coronation Street studios
She played the wife of Ken Barlow, played by William Roache, for many years
The ITV soap already holds the title after winning last year. The NTA winners are voted for by the public.
Bookmaker William Hill has reported a late run of money for Coronation Street to win the serial drama award, although EastEnders is still the favourite.
Filming of the ITV soap was suspended on Tuesday as the cast and crew came to terms with Kirkbride’s death.
Her husband David Beckett said she died “peacefully” in a Manchester hospital.
Anne Kirkbride’s Coronation Street career spanned more than 40 years
Kirkbride was in …read more
Source:: BBC Entertainment
