Ken Barlow actor Bill Roache has assured Coronation Street fans that the soap will remain on air throughout the coronavirus pandemic.
The telly star, who has played his iconic Coronation Street role since 1960, appeared on Good Morning Britain today, to explain that the world's health crisis won't stop soap lovers from getting their fix.
Insisting that there is at least four months of Coronation Street episodes in the backlog thanks to the new stripped down scheduling, Bill told Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid, "I gather we had, I think quite a while. Because it was going out six times a week, they’re rationing it to three times a week, and I think we had about two months.
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"So I’m not quite sure, but I think we have maybe about four months to go."
Filming for Coronation Street and various other soaps was halted last month in light of the pandemic lockdown rules.
Bill went on to add that even if the contagious disease means that telly bosses run out of new episodes before production can resume, there's no reason why life on the cobbles should come off air, thanks to the hundreds of past episodes.
"We’ve got 60 years to draw on, so I don’t think we’ll be going off-air, even when they run out!
"There’s plenty they can be showing and doing. But I think we have got about four months in all, or probably three more, I’m not quite sure." Great news!
Bill also talked about how he has been in lockdown with his daughter, Verity, and son, Will, for four weeks now.
He has apparently been passing the time by learning to paint, play the clarinet and even how to wash and iron his own shirts!
Coronation Street will temporarily air a reduced schedule of three episodes a week. Watch on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 7.30pm on ITV.
