Trivia

As of 2021, he is the longest serving, living television actor in a continuous role in the whole world. He is the longest serving soap actor in the world ever, acting and appearing in the same role uninterruptedly since the first episode of the British soap opera Coronation Street (1960) was made and broadcast in 1960. Appeared and/or credited in an average of 25 episodes per year of the soap for 60 years.

Father of Linus Roache (born 1964) and Vanya Roache (born 1967, died 2018) by his first marriage and also father of Verity Elizabeth Roache (born 1981), Edwina Roache (born 1982, died 1984 of a virus) and James Roache (born William James Roache in 1986) from his second marriage.

Is a dedicated 'druid', a kind of astronomy group which predict the fate of their lives by the turning of the moon.

His wife Sara Roache passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on 7 February 2009 at age 58. She collapsed and never regained consciousness.

He was played by his son James Roache in The Road to Coronation Street (2010).

Spoke out in 1999 of his unhappiness on the sensationalism and violence needed to attract viewers in British soaps.

Is one of eight Coronation Street (1960) actors to win the Lifetime Achievement Award at the British Soap Awards. The others are Barbara Knox, Johnny Briggs, Elizabeth Dawn, Betty Driver, William Tarmey, Helen Worth and Anne Kirkbride.

Was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the British Soap Awards in 2000 after playing his role as Ken Barlow in highly watched British soap-drama Coronation Street (1960) for 40 years, after appearing in the very first episode on 9 December 1960.

Along with Anne Cunningham, Philip Lowrie, Alan Rothwell, he is one of only four surviving members of the original cast of Coronation Street (1960).

Was a contestant on Ant and Dec's Gameshow Marathon, a part of ITV's 50th birthday celebrations.

Served in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers.

He was awarded the MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2001 Queen's New Years Honours List for his services to television drama.

He is a supporter of the Conservative Party, in stark contrast to his character Ken Barlow, who has been stereotyped as a supporter of the Labour Party.

In his early theatrical days, he spent some time at the Oldham Repertory Theatre.

He was awarded the OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2022 Queen's New Years Honours List for his services to Drama and Charity in Wilmslow, Cheshire, England.

He received an honorary degree (Doctor of Letters) from the University of Chester in recognition of his contribution to television. (March 2007)

When with his first wife, they resided near The Angel, Islington in London in a 250-year-old house which used to be a wine tavern and stood on the banks of the Colebrook River which is now piped underground. They owned some land on the Mediteranean island of Elba and were building a bungalow at Haslingdon in Lancashire.