LEGENDARY Coronation Street actor William Roache OBE has been honoured at a glittering ceremony which marks the latest landmark in an incredible career.
The Ken Barlow star received a Lifetime Achievement Award at The Entertainment Agents’ Awards (TEAA) held on Tuesday evening at the Athena Leicester.
The award recognises an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the UK entertainment industry.
And, as the world’s longest serving soap actor, there could be no more suitable candidate than the 92-year-old icon.
He received the gong from Claire Sweeney, 53, who is the actress who recently tried to kill off his Ken Barlow character.
Viewers have been left gripped at seeing Claire, who has played Tyrone Dobbs’ long lost mother Cassie Palmer on the soap since 2023, slowly drug Ken under the ruse of being his carer.
Cassie, a drug addict, had befriended Ken after he suffered a fall, and convinced him to hire her as a carer.
His contributions to the UK entertainment industry, throughout his illustrious career were acknowledged with the Lifetime Recognition Award, which he was presented with by Coronation Street co-star Claire and his longtime friend and international recording star Tony Christie.
Commenting on his award, William told the Champions Speakers Agency : “It’s a huge honour to receive this award, and I am very grateful for it. I’ve enjoyed a wonderful career and to have spent so many years working on such a special programme like Coronation Street has been magical.
“I’ve been fortunate to work with some absolutely incredible actors over that period and made a lifetime of memories. I’m looking forward to being in the programme for many more years to come. To receive the award from Claire was extra special. It’s been great to star alongside her in such a dramatic storyline.”
Paying tribute to Bill, Claire Sweeney said: “I feel very honoured to have worked with Bill. Not only is he a legend, he is part of the very fabric of British television. Watching him and working with him – he never drops a line, he’s so smart and aware, and just seems to be ahead of everyone. He’s brilliant, he’s a kind and generous man, and I feel honoured to have this storyline with him.”
The TEAA Business Awards 2025 are the first ever event and they are designed to celebrate the very best in the entertainment industry.
Commenting on the event, the TEAA’s new president, Erica Compton, said: “The association is very proud to have celebrated the best in our industry at our inaugural awards this week. It was an amazing event and we thank the Athena, in Leicester for their hard work, and look forward very much to another amazing spectacle at next year’s awards.”
The association was founded in 1927 and it is still the largest of its type in the world.