Ken Barlow

Ken Barlow
Coronation Street character
Portrayed by	William Roache
Duration	1960–present
First appearance	Episode 1 9 December 1960
Classification	Present; regular
Created by	Tony Warren
Introduced by	Stuart Latham
Book appearances	Coronation Street: The Complete Saga Coronation Street: The War Years
Spin-off appearances	Ken and Deirdre's Bedtime Stories (2011)
In-universe information Other names Kenneth Barlow Occupation Teacher Warehouse executive Taxi driver Community Development Officer Newspaper editor Shop assistant Father Frank Barlow Mother Ida Barlow Brothers David Barlow Wife Valerie Tatlock (1962–1971) Janet Reid (1973–1977) Deirdre Langton (1981–1992, 2005–2015) Sons Lawrence Cunningham Peter Barlow Daniel Osbourne Daughters Susan Barlow Adoptive daughters Tracy Barlow Grandsons James Cunningham Adam Barlow Simon Barlow Bertie Osbourne Granddaughters Amy Barlow (adoptive) Grandmothers Nancy Leathers Nephews Darren 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]

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.