Deirdre Barlow Dies on 'Coronation Street' (Video)

William Roache stars as 

Coronation Street was Wednesday's most-watched show in the UK as 6.3 million tuned in for Deirdre Barlow's death. Actress Anne Kirkbride played the role of Deirdre for 42 years, until her death on January 19, 2015.

In the episode, Deirdre's pal Bev (Susie Blake) returned to Weatherfield to deal the crushing news to Ken (Bill Roache) and Deirdre's daughter, Tracy Barlow (Kate Ford), as the pair were finalizing plans for her welcome home party.

Roache is the longest running actor in the same role in soap opera history, breaking Don Hastings' run of nearly 50 consecutive years shortly after As the World Turns finished its run in 2010.

Watch the Barlows learn about Deirdre's death below:

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Coronation Street finally says farewell to Deirdre Barlow
Six months after the death of Anne Kirkbride, it's time for Weatherfield residents to give Deirdre Barlow her send-off.

"It's totally and absolutely out of the blue, and in complete contrast to what we were expecting, so it's a terrible shock," explains actor Bill Roache, who's played Ken since the soap's first episode in 1960.

"When something really big happens, you don't do anything. You're dumbstruck, literally – bang. If it's something as awful as that, you don't scream, you don't shout, you don't cry, you are just literally struck dumb. So that's how I played it."

'Coronation Street' Star Anne Kirkbride Dead at 60

William Roache spoke about co-star Anne Kirkbride at Wednesday night’s National Television Awards.

Longtime Coronation Street star Anne Kirkbride has died. She was 60.

"There are no words to describe the sense of grief we feel at Anne's passing," executive producer Kieran Roberts said in the post. "We know only too acutely how much Anne meant to the millions of people who watched her create the legendary character of Deirdre Barlow."

Kirkbride first showed up on Coronation Street, the world's longest-running active television soap opera, in 1972 as Deirdre Barlow, a teenager with a handful of lines. Within a few years, she had entered into a short-lived marriage with one character and then a romance and marriage with another, Ken Barlow (William Roache, who'd been on the show since its inception in 1960).

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Roache, 81, who has played Ken Barlow in the world's current longest-running TV soap since it began in 1960, had pleaded not guilty to two counts of raping a 15-year-old girl in 1967 and four counts of indecent assault involving four girls aged 11 to 16 in Manchester in the late 1960s.

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Roaches has not appeared since his arrest over allegations of rape and indecent assault in 2013.

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The jump we’re about to experience, from 2013 to 2014 media dollars represents mainstream media buyers pointing a firehose of new money at the emerging web video creation market. In 2013, 20 brands. Competitrack’s Online Video Ad Tracking service reported, spent more than $10 million. Estimates from eMarketer indicate that US digital video ad spending will nearly double in only four years, climbing from $4.14 billion this year to $8.04 billion in 2016.

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ELECTRIC COMPANY Actor Luis Avalos Dies at 67
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Avalos played Doctor Doolots -- a composite of Doctor Dolittle and Groucho Marx who used words to cure his patients -- and many other characters on the show. He came on board in 1972 during the second season and remained part of the cast until ELECTRIC COMPANY wrapped in 1977.

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CORONATION STREET's William Roache acquitted of one of seven abuse charges
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CORONATION STREET's William Roache: 'I Strenuously Deny' Rape Allegations

A longtime star of British soap opera CORONATION STREET has vowed to fight charges he raped a 15-year-old girl in 1967.

William Roache said in a statement Thursday he is "deeply horrified" by the charges and "strenuously" denies them.

"I am astounded and deeply horrified by the extraordinary events of the last 24 hours. I strenuously deny the allegations and will now focus my full attention on fighting to preserve my innocence in the challenging times ahead. I would like to offer my sincere thanks to all those people who have offered me their support and good wishes at this difficult time."

CORONATION STREET Legend William Roache To Face Rape Charges

Actor William Roache will be charged with two counts of rape involving a 15-year-old girl in the 1960s, according to BBC News. Roache has starred of CORONATION STREET since 1960, making him the world's longest-running actor.

Roache, 81, is alleged to have committed the rapes in Haslingden, Lancashire, between April and July 1967.

Neither Roache nor his representatives have commented.

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"I think it's great that we've been able to bring a little more balance to the character (of Sonny) and to put him in the position of having to fight for the woman he loves. I do think we can be doing some more with the mob, but they (the producers and writers) know what they're doing."

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CORONATION STREET legend William Roache turns 80 (video)
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“I think he's wonderful,” says Anne Kirkbride, who plays his on-screen wife Deirdre. “I couldn't have wished for anyone better to work with. I admire everything about him.”

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"The storyline I was in with Eden Riegel (who played Bianca Montgomery) was nominated for a GLAAD Award, and I feel very proud of the work that Eden and I did portraying the first same-sex married and parenting couple. We tried to bring honesty and integrity to the story we were given. I was so proud of the show for bringing the issue to the forefront and for being a part of it."

"Daytime changed my life and taught me to become a better actress. If the right role and situation presented itself, then I would be open to it."

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William Roache, Who Replaced Don Hastings As Longest Running Soap Star, Admits To Sex With 1,000 Women; Meets With Canadian Prime Minister

CORONATION STREET star William Roache, 79, is ready to face some grilling about his sex life when he steps onstage in Toronto Saturday with his one-man show, now that’s making headlines back in Britain with the shocking admission he’s had sex with 1,000 women.

“He expects it to be a topic across Canada,” said show promoter Andrew Stuckless, adding Roache, who spent yesterday playing tourist at Niagara Falls, will answer all questions.

In a recent taping of Piers Morgan’s British TV show LIFE STORIES, Roache admitted he’d slept with “more than 100” women. When Morgan asked if the number was really closer to 1,000, Roache replied, “Well, I’m not denying it.”

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William Roache to be honored in New York next month for Guinness World Records
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Roache first appeared as Ken on December 9, 1960. Hastings played Bob Hughes in AS THE WORLD TURNS show since October 1960 without a break, but ATWT ended in September after 13,858 episodes, so Roache is now set to take the title and has already been entered into the Guinness Book of World Records. Roache told CORONATION STREET's 50th anniversary magazine: "Guinness World Records have been in touch and want to fly me over to New York for some sort of ceremony with Don Hastings."

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