Soap’s longest-standing actor William Roache has named the Coronation Street co-star he had a two-year rivalry with. The actor claimed that Phoenix disagreed with how the scene played out, telling the director: “I don’t think she’d take this from this young man’.” Roache said he found this unprofessional. He has appeared on the series continuously without taking any breaks, making him the longest-serving actor in soap history. ‘Coronation Street’ actor William Roache has played Ken Barlow since 1960 (ITV)A spokesperson for Corrie told The Independent: “We’re really sorry to hear of Bill’s financial situation. “Coronation Street has given me so much in life and I absolutely love the programme and everyone who works on the show.”