Coronation Street cast must undergo Deirdre’s funeral

AFTER months of her absence being explained away, the devastating news of Deirdre’s death reaches Weatherfield this week.

Much-loved Anne Kirkbride, who played the screen favourite, passed away in January.

Bev, with whom Deirdre has been staying, arrives to break the grim news.

Shock will later be followed by a hugely emotional funeral, filmed at a specially-built graveyard.

And, as the scenes were shot either side of the weekend of Anne’s memorial service at Manchester Cathedral, there was a real blurring between fact and fiction.

William Roache, who as Ken shared the screen with Anne for so long, found it especially tough.

“Ken isn’t the sort of person who shows his emotions,” said William.

“For most of it, he’s on the verge of tears but he’s just keeping it under the surface. However, then there comes a point where he’s given her glasses.

“As an actor Ken is given the glasses of Deirdre, which is highly emotive as glasses are very personal.

“But of course when I got the glasses, they were also Anne’s. Anne had worn those glasses for 20 years, so there was a complete merger for me, there was no Bill and Ken and Deirdre and Anne, it was just one.

“I felt the loss of both. From an acting point of view it made it totally simple and totally believable and very easy to play.”

Chris Gascoyne, Ken’s son Peter, makes a return on hearing the news.

“It was so strange because I was thinking about 15 years ago when I started in the show and how lovely Annie was to me,” said Chris.

“It seems no time at all and it felt strange to be doing a scene about Deirdre’s funeral.”