Coronation Street actor Bill Roache ‘signs lucrative soap contract’

Bill Roache has reportedly signed a new year-long contract for Coronation Street which is said to be worth £250,000.

The agreement will see the actor, 90, who plays Ken Barlow, appear on the ITV soap for another 12 months.

Screen star Bill has been in the same role since the serial started back in 1960 when he was paid £70 a week.

And Bill – whose character Ken is currently embroiled in a love triangle with the two women in his life Wendy Crozier, played by Roberta Kerr, 70, and Martha Fraser, portrayed by Stephanie Beacham, 75 – is set to play out more drama on screen.

A Coronation Street source told The Sun: ‘Ken Barlow has been at the heart of Coronation Street since it started 62 years ago and that’s not changing any time soon.  

‘And as we’ve seen with his recent love triangle storyline, he’s no plans to slow down.

Screen star: The agreement will see the actor, who plays Ken Barlow, appear on the ITV soap for another 12 months (seen on Coronation Street in November)

‘Bosses have big plans for his character next year.’

MailOnline has contacted ITV and a representative for Bill for comment.

It comes after Bill was awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE) by King Charles III on Wednesday for his services to acting following more than 60 years on Coronation Street.

Honour: It comes after Bill was handed an OBE at an investiture ceremony (pictured) on Wednesday for services to acting after appearing in Coronation Street since it started in 1960

Soap star Bill holds the world record for the longest-serving TV actor in a continuous role for playing Ken Barlow.

Bill, who was previously awarded an MBE, revealed the hilarious reaction of King Charles, 74, who playfully asked: ‘Not still working are you?’  

After meeting the monarch, Bill said: ‘Oh I love the royal family – I met the Queen about seven times.

Record-breaking: The soap star holds the world record for the longest-serving TV actor in a continuous role for playing Ken Barlow in Coronation Street (pictured on Wednesday)

‘Charles is really, really friendly and more easy-going possibly in a sense.’

He added: ‘But the Queen was even – when she came (to visit the Coronation street set) less than a year ago – she always listened, she was attentive she was on the ball, and didn’t miss a trick. She was very bright.

‘And they always love the humour, all of them, which I like. I’m very fond of the royal family.’  

Bill – who recently admitted he almost quit Coronation Street to pursue another dream – said he and the King had chatted about their respective workloads during the ceremony and said: ‘Charles was lovely – very friendly.

‘He said: ‘Not still working are you?’; I said: ‘Yes, just had two ex-girlfriends on the show’.

‘He said: ‘Oh that must have been work’, and I said: ‘May I wish you a long and joyful reign sir?’, and he said: ‘Thank you, that will be a lot of work too’.’

Affection: Bill met the Queen multiple times (pictured Bill and his co-stars meeting The Queen on the Coronation Street set last year]