CORONATION Street is a family affair both on and off-screen for Bill Roache.
The iconic Ken Barlow actor insisted he has no plans to retire after turning 90 this month.
Weatherfield has held treasured memories for the actor, who plays a former school teacher.
Bill is best known for playing Ken since 1960, landing him in the Guinness World Records book as the longest-serving male television star in a continuous role.
Ken has a reputation on the iconic street as being a womaniser after racking up four marriages and dating 27 women between 1960 and 2007.
His scenes with Deidre Hunt stole the show with their first and second weddings both getting more viewers than the royal wedding between Prince Charles and Princess Diana.
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While Corrie is his career, it has now come to light his real-life sons have starred alongside him in a sweet personal touch.
Bill has two children with his first wife Anna Cropper.
Eldest son Linus Roache arrived in 1964, and is also an actor.
Eagle-eyed soap fans will remember Linus playing Peter Barlow – Ken’s on-screen son – in 1975.
He took on the role at the tender age of nine, becoming the fourth actor to play the troublesome character.
Linus maintained family ties to Bill on-screen as he returned to the ITV soap in 2010.
Looking completely different as a sharp-suited businessman, he took on the character of Ken’s long-lost son, Lawrence Cunningham.
In a confusing but happy twist for the Roche clan, Linus’ little brother James then proceeded to play his on-screen son, James Cunningham.
Ken played a major role in trying to build a relationship between Lawrence and James, after his son refused to accept James was gay.
James was thankful for his grandfather’s support yet he soon changed his tune as he attempted to con the Barlow family and remortgage their home.
When Tracy – Ken’s step-daughter – started to suspect, he threatened to see her put in jail.
Yet in scenes which must have been tricky for the real-life family to film, Ken discovered James’ antics and proceeded to call the police.
In an attempt to stop him, James smashed his head against a wall, before fleeing the Cobbles.
Bill has previously told how he was “enormously proud” of their time together on the soap.
At the time, he added: “When I’m in New York, no one bothers about me, it’s all about Linus.
“James is just getting started but will no doubt be just the same.”
Meanwhile, in more tragic news for Bill’s family, his daughter Vanya passed away at the age of 50 on March 4, 2018, due to liver failure.
He was then granted compassionate leave from the soap.
He revealed how a car crash meant he wasn’t able to say goodbye to Vanya before she died at a hospital in Chichester.
He said: “The pain of losing a child is unbearable.
“To not be able to say goodbye to Vanya was awful but I take some comfort in knowing she is in a better place and at peace.
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“But your children going before you is horrendous.”
Prior to joining Coronation Street, Bill landed the lead role in a televised play called Marking Time, although it wasn’t broadcast until a year after his Corrie debut in 1960.
