Ken Barlow
Kenneth "Ken" Barlow is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera Coronation Street, played by William Roache. He was created by Tony Warren as one of Coronation Street's original characters and December 2020 marked Ken's 60th anniversary onscreen. He debuted in the soap's first episode on 9 December 1960.[1] Having appeared in the role continuously since that date, Roache is the longest-serving actor in a televised soap opera, and was honoured at the 2010 Guinness World Records ceremony for the achievement, having surpassed actor Don Hastings from the American soap opera As the World Turns, who previously held this title. Roache stated in 2010 that he had no plans to leave the role and would remain in Coronation Street for as long as the producers would have him. In November 2020, Roache was again presented with the Guinness World Record for the longest-serving TV soap star in the world for his six decades in Coronation Street.[2]
For other uses, see Ken Barlow (disambiguation).Ken Barlow
1960–present
Episode 1
9 December 1960
Coronation Street: The Complete Saga
Coronation Street: The War Years
Kenneth Barlow
Kenneth Barlow
- Teacher
- Warehouse executive
- Taxi driver
- Community Development Officer
- Newspaper editor
- Shop assistant
Valerie Tatlock (1962–1971)
Janet Reid (1973–1977)
Deirdre Langton (1981–1992, 2005–2015)
Amy Barlow (adoptive)
Darren Barlow
Ken Barlow was introduced as the educated son of a working-class family. In being portrayed as both arrogant, moralistic and a political activist, he differed from the other characters in the soap opera, predominantly working class like himself. The character developed a reputation as a ladies' man; plots saw Ken using underhanded tactics to boost his prospects in an election, dating numerous women, marrying four times to three women (Valerie Tatlock in 1962, Janet Reid in 1972, Deirdre Hunt in 1981 and again in 2005), fathering four children with three women (Lawrence Cunningham in 1961 from Ken's affair with Susan Cunningham – though he never knew about Lawrence until 2010 – twins Susan Barlow and Peter Barlow in 1965 from Ken's marriage to Valerie Tatlock, and in 1995 Daniel Osbourne from Ken's relationship with Denise Osbourne), as well as later adopting Deirdre's daughter Tracy Barlow.[3] Of the many women Ken has been paired with, his relationship with Deirdre has been the most enduring. Ken and Deirdre's fictional relationship made newspaper headlines in Britain in 1983, due to Deirdre's adultery with Mike Baldwin. The storyline captured both media and viewer interest: 20 million people tuned in to watch Ken's discovery of the affair. The storyline led to a feud between Ken and Mike, prominent in both characters' narratives until Mike's screen death in 2006. In March 2017, Coronation Street centred a "whodunit" storyline around the character, in which Ken is pushed down the stairs by an unknown assailant; the storyline was dubbed "Who Attacked Ken?". On 26 May 2017, Ken's attacker was revealed as his son Daniel Osbourne (played by Rob Mallard).
Despite his somewhat antagonistic role in the show's early years, Ken developed a reputation among critics for representing an archetypal "boring man". This is an allegation denied by Roache, who has cited Ken's evolution over the years, his chaotic love life and dysfunctional family as evidence to the contrary. Roache has been honoured with a lifetime achievement award at the British Soap Awards for his portrayal of Ken. Away from the canonical serial, Ken has been portrayed by James Roache (William Roache's son) in the dramatisation The Road to Coronation Street, and by Simon Chadwick in the play Corrie!. He has also been spoofed by impressionist Jon Culshaw.
Storylines[edit]
Ken Barlow was born and raised at 3 Coronation Street, Weatherfield, Lancashire. He is the eldest son born to Frank (Frank Pemberton) and Ida Barlow (Noel Dyson). An intelligent pupil, Ken attends grammar school after passing his eleven plus exam, and in 1957 wins a scholarship at the University of Manchester; he lives with his parents and brother David (Alan Rothwell) in Weatherfield while studying and gains a second class honours degree in History and English. Being educated and politically minded, Ken differs from his family and neighbours. This is a source of friction between Ken and his father Frank, who believes Ken is trying to distance himself from his working-class roots. When Ken writes a scathing newspaper article about his uneducated neighbours in Weatherfield, Frank and the community are outraged. In 1961, Ken's mother dies in a motor accident. Ken turns down a teaching post to support his father, but he and Frank continue to clash until Frank leaves in 1964. David and Frank's deaths (in 1970 and 1975 respectively) leave Ken as the sole surviving Barlow.
Ken begins teaching, and marries Valerie Tatlock (Anne Reid) in July 1962. Two years later, he has a fling with exotic dancer Pip Mistral (Elaine Stevens), but his marriage survives. Twins Peter (Robert Heanue) and Susan (Katie Heanneau) are born on 15 April 1965. In January 1966, Ken has another affair with reporter Jackie Marsh (Pamela Craig); Valerie leaves when she finds out but is later persuaded to return. Ken continues to stand up for his political beliefs and spends seven days in prison in March 1967, after being arrested for protesting. He is left a single parent following Valerie's untimely death; she perishes after being electrocuted in January 1971, and he is left heartbroken. Ken is supported by Valerie's uncle Albert Tatlock (Jack Howarth), with whom he shares a close relationship, but caring for the twins proves too difficult and they are sent to live with their grandparents in Glasgow.
Ken has numerous flings, including a one-night stand with Rita Littlewood (Barbara Knox), but his next serious relationship occurs in 1973, when Ken marries Janet Reid (Judith Barker), in the hope that she will mother his two children. Janet refuses to do this, and in 1974 they separate. Janet flits in and out of Ken's life until 1977, when she kills herself by taking an overdose when Ken turns down a reconciliation.
When Ray Langton (Neville Buswell) leaves his wife Deirdre (Anne Kirkbride) in 1978, Ken supports her. In 1981, they marry, with Ken becoming stepfather to Deirdre's four-year-old daughter Tracy (Christabel Finch). However, by 1983, Deirdre grows bored with Ken and has an affair with his rival, Mike Baldwin (Johnny Briggs). Ken and Deirdre's marriage suffers; the couple separate in 1990, and eventually divorce following Ken's affair with Wendy Crozier (Roberta Kerr), his colleague at the local newspaper, The Weatherfield Recorder. Ken takes the separation badly and attempts suicide by overdose, but is prevented from doing so by his friend, Bet Lynch (Julie Goodyear).
Ken and Mike, who are the moral opposites of each other, remain enemies; Ken is incensed when his daughter, Susan, falls in love and has a short-lived marriage with Mike. In 1991 Ken and Mike compete for the same woman, Alma Sedgewick (Amanda Barrie). When she is dumped by Mike in favour of Jackie Ingram (Shirin Taylor), she starts seeing Ken. On Christmas Day 1991, Mike lures Alma back into his bed to get back at Ken. Later in 1992, Ken falls for one of his pupil's mothers – Maggie Redman (Jill Kerman). The Baldwin/Barlow feud erupts again, as Mike is the father of Maggie's son, Mark Redman (Christopher Oakswood). Mike hates the thought of Ken spending Christmas Day with his son, but Ken's pride gets the better of him. He cannot handle the situation, and he and Maggie split.
Ken has a relationship with hairdresser Denise Osbourne (Denise Black) in 1994 and fathers her child; their son Daniel (Lewis Harney) is born in 1995. Denise agrees to marry Ken, but is having an affair with her brother-in-law Brian Dunkley (Benny Young) at the same time. She leaves Weatherfield in 1996, leaving Daniel with Ken. It is a short-lived custody as, later that year, Denise returns and snatches Daniel; Ken's attempts to reclaim his son fail.
Ken and Deirdre remain close, despite their other relationships. They reunite in 1999, following encouragement from Deidre's mother Blanche Hunt (Maggie Jones). They eventually remarry on 8 April 2005; although in January 2003 Ken discovers that Deirdre had sex with Dev Alahan (Jimmi Harkishin) during Christmas 2001, he forgives her and they remain together. Deirdre supports Ken in October 2002 when he loses his teaching post for assaulting a pupil, Aidan Critchley (Dean Ashton), who has been terrorising him. Marital problems arise in 2006 when, following Mike's death from Alzheimer's disease, Ken grows jealous of Deirdre's consequent grief; he leaves home and tries to rebuild a relationship with his estranged son Daniel. Daniel's mother Denise, now single, gets the wrong idea and attempts to rekindle a romance with Ken; Ken rebuffs her advances and returns to Deirdre. Ken does stray in 2009, after meeting Martha Fraser (Stephanie Beacham); he falls in love with her, and in May, plans to leave with her. He cannot go through with it, and jilts Martha, returning to Deirdre. Eventually, he admits to the infidelity. Although Deirdre is angry, she forgives him as he had forgiven her fling with Dev; however, Deirdre later cheats on Ken again, kissing Lewis Archer (Nigel Havers). Relations are once again strained between Ken and Deirdre. The couple acknowledge their mutual unhappiness with their marriage but remain together.
In late August 2010, Norris Cole (Malcolm Hebden) discovers an unopened letter addressed to Ken, dating back to the 1960s. The letter is written by Ken's first girlfriend, Susan Cunningham (Patricia Shakesby), whom Ken had dated in 1960. Susan has a son named Lawrence (Linus Roache), who turns out to be Ken's child. Ken and Lawrence bond, which temporarily threatens Ken's relationship with his other son Peter. When Ken discovers that Lawrence is intolerant of the homosexuality of his own son, James (James Roache), Ken severs contact. Realising that he has been unappreciative and neglectful of Peter over the years, he makes an effort to bond, supporting him through his relationship and health problems that follow.
In December 2010, Peter is caught up in the Joinery Bar gas leak explosion, which results in an unforgettable tram crash as the explosion severs the tramline above. Ken is fearful that his son is going to die, and this almost happens when Peter goes into cardiac arrest, after marrying Leanne Battersby (Jane Danson) on his hospital bed; However, Peter survives. Ken supports Peter and Leanne as Peter struggles to regain a sense of reality, the explosion having left him paralysed, potentially for life. Meanwhile, James comes to stay with the Barlows for a while, with no-one knowing that his role in a soup kitchen in town is actually part of a scam. When Ken discovers this, James packs his things and leaves; Ken tries to make him stay but James pushes him out of the way, knocking him unconscious. Ken is not seriously hurt, though.
Ken doesn't know where his loyalties lie when Peter is found to be having an affair with Carla Connor (Alison King), and he is estranged from his son, Simon (Alex Bain). Ken is then shocked to discover that Peter has been indicted for the murder of Frank Foster (Andrew Lancel), who had been found not guilty of raping Carla. He tries to help but is pushed away. Eventually, it is found that Frank's mother Anne was the real culprit. She is given a custodial sentence, whilst Peter is free to go. In mid-2013, Ken leaves the street temporarily to look after his grandson Adam in Canada. (a plot devised due to actor William Roache being on leave after being arrested). He returns in August 2014 to find his family in chaos. Peter has been imprisoned for the murder of his secret lover Tina McIntyre (Michelle Keegan) and Tracy is engaged to Carla's brother Rob Donovan (Marc Baylis). Carla had been pregnant with Peter's baby but had a miscarriage after they separated and Deirdre has fallen apart at the prospect of dealing with all this on her own. Ken is infuriated that Deirdre did not tell him sooner about all this and sets out to clear Peter's name, only to find that the majority of residents on the street, including Simon, believes that Peter did kill Tina. Ken is not sure whom to believe anymore. He later discovers that Peter has sacked his lawyer and it becomes even more likely that he will be found guilty of the murder.
Deirdre goes to stay with her friend, Bev Unwin (Susie Blake), in October 2014, when it becomes clear the stress of the trial is destroying her. Peter is found guilty of the murder and sentenced to life in prison. However, the verdict is quickly reversed, when it is discovered that it was actually Rob who murdered Tina. Peter is released from prison but makes the decision to leave the street, as he has hardly anything keeping him around, which hurts Simon. Ken tries to make Peter change his mind, but he is adamant on leaving, so Ken respects his wishes and sees him off. At this point, Deirdre should have come home but called back to say she was staying with Bev a while longer, as one of her relatives had just died. In July 2015, Deirdre dies and Ken is absolutely devastated by this news. Liz announces Deirdre's death in The Rovers Return. Deirdre's funeral is held the week after. It is revealed that Deirdre would have been home earlier. However, news of Tracy and Tony's fling reached her and she was ashamed to come home and face Liz. As a result, Ken feels animosity toward Tracy for seemingly stealing Deirdre's last two months from him, when she could have been home when she died.
Ken later begins dating Nessa Warner (Sadie Shimmin), much to the disapproval of Rita and Emily. Tracy is deeply upset and accuses Ken of betraying Deirdre. Ken kicks Tracy out when he discovers that Tracy has seen her ex–fiancée Rob, who's in prison for murder. In early 2016, Ken dumps Nessa after finding out Nessa had an affair with her sister Cathy's late husband. In October 2016, Ken is shocked to see his son Peter. He accuses Peter of drinking and after their argument, Ken suffers a stroke and he is hospitalised.
In early 2017, Ken's son Daniel is offered a place at Oxford University. He decides not to go choosing to support his new girlfriend Sinead Tinker (Katie McGlynn), who fell pregnant. Ken later turns on Sinead saying she has trapped Daniel and blames her for his son not going to university, something that he wishes he had done in 1960. He realized that he had wasted his time being with Deirdre, and wishes that he had not married her, but truly loved her more than his other wives, despite her affair with men like Adam's father, Mike in 1983. He mentions to Audrey that he has chosen his adoptive daughter Tracy as his favourite, for her mother's true love, over his other children, despite her actions, and wanted to leave her in his will everything. After pushing his family away from him and making Sinead have a secret abortion Ken is pushed down the stairs and left for dead by an unknown assailant. He recovers from his injuries in hospital.
In early 2019, Ken begins a relationship with Audrey's frenemy Claudia Colby (Rula Lenska). In 2020, Ken decided to move away from the street for a new adventure and moved into the Stillwaters retirement complex with Claudia. After moving in, they were introduced to Charles Moore, the chairman of the residents' committee, and Ken also discovered his old friend Norris living at Stillwaters. After missing Eccles (his dog), he sneaks her in, but is caught by Charles who sues him for damages, soon after this incident, Eccles dies of a tumour, Norris informs Ken that he had heard Charles make a comment at Eccles' expense, making him go up against Charles for election for the head of the residence committee, Ken and Norris did some digging and discovered Charles's abuse of power, secretly stealing money from the residents and after exposing this, Ken won the vote, but he handed it over to Norris as he felt unsuited for the environment of Stillwaters, and he and Claudia agreed they both wanted different things, so Ken left, ending up back at No.1 Coronation Street. After returning, Ken makes sporadic appearances throughout late 2020, he initially announced that he would sell No.1 Coronation Street which led to a bidding war between Tracy and Steve, and Peter and Carla, he eventually changes his mind.
Reception[edit]
For his portrayal of Ken, Roache won the Lifetime Achievement award at The British Soap Awards 1999.[127] In November 2010, Ken surpassed Bob Hughes (Don Hastings) from US soap opera As the World Turns to become the longest-serving soap opera actor. Roache was honoured at a Guinness World Records ceremony in New York.[128] In 1983, Roache, Kirkbride and Briggs were named TV Personalities of the Year at the Pye Colour Television Awards, for their performances in the Ken–Deirdre–Mike love triangle storyline.[129] Journalist Brian Viner of The Independent has suggested that Roache has not been given the accolades he has deserved as a performer because of his longevity in the role of Ken. He felt that it may be a common assumption that Roache is merely playing himself on-screen; this notion diminishes a "rather remarkable acting performance". He added, "although the bouquets tend to go to actors who repeatedly display their versatility, it is in many ways even harder to inhabit one role for five decades. That said, for sheer staying power Ken and Bill are clearly indivisible: one has lived in the same street practically all his life, the other in the same role [...]. That we have been able to watch the evolution of that young man into the Ken Barlow we know today, no less self-righteous but with 50 years of experiences behind him, is frankly one of the wonders of British television."[130]
Ken has a reputation for being boring.[130] The British band Half Man Half Biscuit highlighted this point in their 2001 song "Lark Descending", comparing him unfavourably with a member of the US underground music scene, with the lyric: "I could have been like Lou Barlow, but I'm more like Ken Barlow".[131] Despite Ken being fictional, critic Jim Shelley, writing for the Daily Mirror in 2009, labelled Ken "the most boring man you could ever meet".[132] Roache sued for libel in 1990 when The Sun newspaper ran an article branding Ken boring and making allegations that Roache was disliked among the cast of Coronation Street.[133] Roache said to the jury at the court case, "I felt extremely distressed. I could not believe those words had been written, that they had raked into my past. I broke out in a sweat. [...] They were saying that I was not doing my job, that I was a joke to the storyline writers, which is not true". Roache added in regard to Ken, "If people find someone who has had 23 girlfriends and three wives boring, that's fine by me."[133] Roache won the case and was awarded £50,000; however, he was forced to pay legal costs, which bankrupted him.[133] Brian Viner has suggested that it is remarkable that Ken has been labelled boring in spite of the many plots he has been involved with over the years. Brian Viner said, "It is easy enough to see, despite the extraordinary number of broken relationships and personal crises in his wake, why Ken tends not to make the pulse race when he opens his mouth. After all, he usually opens it only to drink halves of bitter, or to say something sensible or worthy. For 50 years he has been the nearest thing Weatherfield, the fictional area of Greater Manchester where Coronation Street is located, has had to a social conscience."[130]
In a Channel 4 televised poll that was broadcast in 2001, Ken Barlow was voted the third most-hated TV character of all time, coming behind Phil Mitchell from EastEnders and Mr Blobby.[134] In a Radio Times poll of over 5,000 people in 2004, 15% chose Ken as the soap character they would most like to see retired. He came second in the poll, behind EastEnders' Den Watts (17%).[135]
Television personality Paul O'Grady wrote the foreword to Roache's 2010 autobiography, 50 Years on the Street. In it, he hailed Ken as "one of the iconic British soap characters", an all-time great who has been integral to Coronation Street.[136] In 2005, Grace Dent of The Guardian suggested that Coronation Street archetypes have influenced latter soap opera characters. On Ken, she stated: "another heavily plagiarised Corrie stalwart is Ken Barlow, who as 'resident intellectual' has been looking down his nose at the proletariat since 1960. Just like poor hangdog-faced Ken, brainy people in soapland (Dr Truman [from EastEnders], Roy Cropper, Todd Grimshaw [both from Coronation Street], Emmerdale's Ethan the curate) are always miserable and brooding, due to the terrible burden of their mighty intellect in the face of so many simpletons. It rarely pays to be too clever or too rich in soapland as the majority of plotlines rely upon tragic Shakespearian falls from grace which everyone laughs their socks off at."[137]
In 2009, viewers complained to ITV as well as the media regulator Ofcom after Coronation Street broadcast scenes in which Ken made derogatory comments about Christianity. A spokesperson for the show defended the opinions expressed by Ken in the scripts, saying, "Coronation Street is a soap opera set in modern society and therefore represents views from all side of the religious spectrum".[138] The Guardian columnist Nancy Banks-Smith spoke highly of Ken's affair with Martha Fraser in 2009, calling it "a muted ingenious storyline".[139] Gareth McLean of Radio Times was critical of the storyline: "When it comes to self-delusion, Ken takes the biscuit, claims the cake and wolfs down the éclair. Nursing the notion that he's been thwarted by life, he decides to leave Deirdre to sail off into the sunset – or possibly Runcorn – with Martha. All these years and Ken still doesn't realise it's not Deirdre who's the dead weight in his life, it's he himself."[140] The BBC has said of him: "During his record-breaking time on the hit soap, Roache's character has led a life full of incident".[141] Holy Soap suggested that Ken being labelled a gigolo in the local newspaper after his client, Babs, died halfway through eating her meal, was his most memorable moment.[142] In her book Soap Opera, Hobson said Ken and his brother David initially represented the younger males of society.[143] She noted that although Ken had many relationships, "he could hardly be described as an early 'Dirty Den'", a character notable for his womanising in the soap opera EastEnders.[143]