Millions of Coronation Street fans were shocked tonight to see Weatherfield icon Ken Barlow make the heartbreaking decision to leave the cobbles for pastures new.
After much soul-searching Ken, played by William Roache, decided the time has come to leave number 1 Coronation Street, which has been his home for most of his life.
Just before the credits rolled on the historical 10,000th episode of the world’s longest running soap, the character who was in the very first episode in 1960 bid a fond farewell to his ‘old friend’ the cobbles to move away with girlfriend Claudia Colby.
But fans are reassured that this isn't the last they'll see of him, as the Weatherfield patriarch is not leaving the show.
Ken will move out of number one and away from the street, but future episodes will follow Ken and Claudia's new life at Still Waters Luxury retirement complex.
Back in Weatherfield his son Peter and adopted daughter Tracy will battle over who gets to move into the most famous house on the street.
In Monday night’s episodes Ken and Claudia will break the news to the family about their decision to sell up and live a quieter life at Still Waters.
Both Peter and Tracy want the house at a knockdown price and as Ken despairs over his warring family it confirms he is making the right decision to leave.
William Roache said: “This is a big decision for Ken but in some ways he thinks it is now or never.
"He has lived on the same street his whole life and in the same house for most of it.
"He feels that he had a chance to move away with Martha on the barge but he let her go. Part of him regretted that.
"He doesn’t want to make the same mistake again and Claudia is very persuasive."
He added: "Filming that final scene of the episode was very poignant, just Ken and Eccles and the cobbles.
“He breaks the news to the family next week and they are surprised but very soon Peter and Tracy start squabbling over who will be given first refusal on the house.
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"We have already started filming at the retirement complex and I am really enjoying it, it always feels different when we film away from the street.
“It seems fitting that Ken makes this decision in the 10,000th episode but it will be strange not filming in number 1 after all this time.”
Next month viewers will see him and Claudia move into the luxurious development complete with a cocktail bar, book club and fencing lessons.
Ken is delighted to discover that his old friends Norris and Freda are already settled in to life at Still Waters but when he crosses swords with fellow resident Charles, played by Michael Elwyn, it looks as though there may be just as much drama for Ken as there was on the cobbles.
