Coronation Street William Roache celebrated his 88th birthday at his home on Saturday, as filming for the soap continues be at a standstill.
The veteran soap actor was surprised with gifts at his Wilmslow home by his daughter Verity, 39, and son James, 34, in snaps posted on the soap’s official Twitter account.
It comes after Bill vowed that Corrie will never go off the air, despite fears ITV may run out of new episodes after filming was halted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Happy birthday! Coronation Street William Roache celebrated his 88th birthday at his home on Saturday, as filming for the soap continues be at a standstill
Bill appeared to have no idea he was about to be surprised with the birthday gifts by his family, as Verity launched the confetti into the air.
The room was decorated with balloons and presents for the low-key celebration.
The post was captioned: ‘Sending a massive thank you for all your warm wishes from Bill, who’s celebrating his 88th birthday in lockdown at home with his family!’
Bill – who has played Ken Barlow since the soap’s inception in 1960 – has joined much of the Coronation Street cast in lockdown after filming was halted by the coronavirus pandemic.
Surprise! The veteran soap actor was surprised with gifts at his Wilmslow home by his daughter Verity, 39, and son James, 34, in snaps posted on the soap’s official Twitter account
It comes after the veteran actor claimed that despite fears the soap may run out of filmed episodes, it will never go off the air.
Speaking to Piers Morgan on Good Morning Britain alongside his daughter Verity on Monday, the soap stalwart said: ‘I gather we have quite a while.
‘It was going out six times a week and now rationed to three. I think we had about two months [already filmed]. So I think about four months of new stuff.’
Hope: It comes after the veteran actor claimed that despite fears the soap may run out of filmed episodes, it will never go off the air
No worries: Bill, who plays Ken Barlow in the soap said the channel would revisit old episodes rather than let the show come off air entirely (programme still)
Addressing fears that the show could come off the air if the cast and crew are unable to film more scenes, Bill said that classic episodes could be revisited.
Speaking from his home in Wilmslow, he said: ‘We’ve got 60 years to draw on so I don’t think we’ll be going of air even when they run out.
‘Plenty they could be showing and doing. I think probably three more months.’
Iconic: Bill has appeared in the show since it began 60 years ago – pictured in 1983
Oh no: Bill appeared on the show alongside his daughter Verity and said he will celebrate his 88th birthday in lockdown on Saturday
He said of the show: ‘We’ve got 60 years to draw on so I don’t think we’ll be going of air even ‘when they run out.
Bill has played street favourite Ken Barlow since the show began 60 years ago and will celebrate his 88th birthday in lockdown on Saturday.
His words come after his co-star Beverley Callard claimed that soap bosses are ‘panicking’ about running out of episodes during quarantine.
The ITV soap halted production last month just hours before Prime Minister Boris Johnson put the country in lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic.
And the actress, 63, who plays Liz McDonald, says the soap’s producers and writers are fearful that their reserved set of episodes could be used up before restrictions are lifted.
‘Panic’: His Corrie co-star Beverley Callard has revealed that soap bosses are ‘panicking’ about running out of episodes during COVID-19 lockdown
Beverley and her co-star Jennie McAlpine who pays Fiz Brown opened up about the problem during an interview on BBC Radio 5 Live.
Jennie, 36, said on the programme: ‘I keep putting it on at half eight, but then I think, “Oh no, Corrie’s not on”.
‘They’ve limited our Corrie output now, so there’s only three on instead of six.’
She added: ‘I know people might be missing those three episodes but at least it means we’ve got a bit more time.
‘I know our bosses are working really hard every day assessing the situation.’
Beverley then gave her own opinion, chiming in: ‘And they’re panicking like mad aren’t they? But, of course, you can’t not.’
Suspended: The ITV soap halted production last month hours before Prime Minister Boris Johnson put the country in lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic
Episode drama: Beverley and her co-star Jennie McAlpine who pays Fiz Brown opened up about the problem during an interview on BBC Radio 5 Live
Thoughts: ‘I know people might be missing those three episodes but at least it means we’ve got a bit more time. ‘I know our bosses are working really hard every day assessing the situation’
She continued: ‘Even if it does come to an end and we run out of episodes, the writers will be going mad, they’ll be excited to create new storylines and everything.
‘Because we’ve got a massive team of writers, so they’ll keep it going.’
MailOnline have contacted representatives of Coronation Street for comment.
Amid the suspension of filming, Coronation Street, as well as Emmerdale, have been cut down to just three episodes a week, airing just one episode on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Worried: Beverley then gave her own opinion, chiming in: ‘And they’re panicking like mad aren’t they? But, of course, you can’t not’
Filming for Coronation Street was halted last month just hours before the government placed the UK in lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, with an end date to restrictions yet to be confirmed.
It comes after their fellow Corrie star Andy Whyment warned the soap could go ‘off air’ unless filming recommences by June.
The actor, who plays Kirk Sutherland, admitted the soap potentially has until the beginning of July until they run out of episodes to broadcast.
Off air? It comes after their fellow Corrie star Andy Whyment warned the soap could go ‘off air’ unless filming recommences by June
Speaking on the United Podcast, the actor said: ‘I think we’ve got until the beginning of July in the can.
‘So we need to get back hopefully by the middle of June with a bit of luck, otherwise it’s going to go off air.
‘We’ve cut down from six episodes a week to three episodes a week, obviously to stay, but hopefully we’ll get back.’
No more scenes? The actor, who plays Kirk Sutherland, has admitted the soap potentially has until the beginning of July until they run out of episodes to broadcast
He continued: ‘A lot of the airlines have announced they’re going to start flying again mid-June, so I’m presuming if that’s going to happen then hopefully we should be able to get back to work with a bit of luck, so fingers crossed.’
A Coronation Street representative told MailOnline: ‘We have always stated that with the new scheduling pattern we have enough episodes to keep the show on air into the summer. It is too early speculate beyond that.’
Coronation Street continues Monday at 7:30pm on ITV.
Warning: ‘I think we’ve got until the beginning of July in the can. So we need to get back hopefully by the middle of June with a bit of luck, otherwise it’s going to go off air’