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Kenneth "Ken" Barlow is a long-standing fictional character from the ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', played by William Roache. Ken was created by Tony Warren as one of ''Coronation Street's'' original characters. He debuted in the soap's first episode on 9 December 1960. Having appeared continuously since the programme's inception, December 2010 marked Ken's 50th anniversary on-screen. At this time, Roache officially became the longest-serving actor in a televised soap opera. Roache was honoured at the 2010 Guinness World Records ceremony for the achievement, when he surpassed actor Don Hastings from the American soap opera ''As the World Turns'', who previously held this title. Roache stated in 2010 that he has no plans to leave the role and will remain in ''Coronation Street'' for as long as he is able. Ken was introduced as the educated 21-year-old son of a working-class family. Portrayed as moralistic and a political activist, Ken differed from the other, predominantly working-class characters in the soap opera. The character developed a reputation as a ladies' man; plots saw Ken dating numerous women, marrying four times to three women (Valerie Tatlock in 1962, Janet Reid in 1972 and Deirdre Langton in 1981 and again in 2005), fathering four children (Lawrence Cunningham, Susan Barlow, Peter Barlow and Daniel Osbourne), and adopting his stepdaughter (Tracy Barlow). Of the many women Ken has been paired with, his relationship with Deirdre has been the most enduring; they married in 1981 and divorced a decade later, only to remarry in 2005. Ken's and Deirdre's fictional relationship made newspaper headlines in Britain in 1983 due to Deirdre's adultery with Mike Baldwin. The storyline captured both media and viewer interest. Twenty million people tuned in to watch Ken's discovery of the affair. The storyline led to a feud between Ken and Mike, prominent in both characters' narratives until Mike Baldwin was killed off in 2006. Despite his somewhat antagonistic role in the show's early years, Ken developed a reputation among critics for representing an archetypal "boring man". This is an allegation denied by Roache, who has cited Ken's evolution over the years, his chaotic love life and dysfunctional family as evidence to the contrary. Roache has been honoured with a lifetime achievement award at the British Soap Awards for his portrayal of Ken. Away from the canonical serial, Ken has been portrayed by James Roache (William Roache's son) in the dramatisation ''The Road to Coronation Street'', and by Simon Chadwick in the play ''Corrie!''. He has also been spoofed by impressionist Jon Culshaw. Roache took a year break from on-screen portrayal of Barlow, from mid-2013 to mid-2014, while dealing with some real-life legal issues, during which Ken's absence was stated as due to "visiting family in Canada". Roache returned to filming ''Coronation Street'' in June 2014 and Ken returned to the Street on-screen on 4 August 2014 .〔http://entertainment.stv.tv/showbiz/271984-william-roache-to-return-to-coronation-street-after-murder-storyline/〕〔http://www.itv.com/coronationstreet/previews/picture-previews-mon-4th-aug-fri-8th-aug〕 After the real life death of Anne Kirkbride in January 2015, her character, Deirdre, was killed off on 8 July 2015, leaving Ken now widowed. ==Storylines== Ken Barlow was born on 9 October 1939, the eldest son of Frank (Frank Pemberton) and Ida Barlow (Noel Dyson). An intelligent pupil, Ken attends grammar school after passing his eleven plus exam and, in 1957, wins a scholarship at Manchester University; he lives with his parents and brother David (Alan Rothwell) in Weatherfield while studying and gains a second class honours degree in History and English. Being educated and politically minded, Ken differs from his family and neighbours. This is a source of friction between Ken and his father Frank, who believes Ken is trying to distance himself from his working-class roots. When Ken writes a scathing newspaper article about his uneducated neighbours in Weatherfield, Frank and the community are outraged. In 1961, Ken's mother dies in a road accident. Ken turns down a teaching post to support his father, but he and Frank continue to clash until Frank leaves in 1964. David's and Frank's deaths in 1970 and 1975 respectively, both off-screen, leave Ken as the sole surviving Barlow. Ken begins teaching, and marries Valerie Tatlock (Anne Reid) in July 1962. Two years later, he has a fling with exotic dancer Pip Mistral (Elaine Stevens), but his marriage survives. Twins Peter (Robert Heanue) and Susan (Katie Heanneau) are born on 15 April 1965. In January 1966, Ken has another affair with reporter Jackie Marsh (Pamela Craig). Valerie leaves when she finds out, but is later persuaded to return. Ken continues to stand up for his socialist political beliefs, and spends seven days in prison in March 1967, after being arrested for protesting. Ken is left a single-parent following Valerie's untimely death; she perishes after being electrocuted in January 1971, and Ken is left heartbroken. Ken is supported by Valerie's uncle Albert Tatlock (Jack Howarth), with whom he shares a close relationship, but caring for the twins proves too difficult and they are sent to live with their grandparents in Glasgow. Ken has numerous flings, including a one-night stand with Rita Littlewood (Barbara Knox), but his next serious relationship occurs in 1973, when Ken marries Janet Reid (Judith Barker), in the hope that she will mother his two children. Janet refuses to do this, and in 1974 they separate. Janet flits in and out of Ken's life until 1977, when she kills herself by taking an overdose when Ken turns down a reconciliation. When Ray Langton (Neville Buswell) leaves his wife Deirdre (Anne Kirkbride) in 1978, Ken supports her. In 1981 they marry, with Ken becoming stepfather to Deirdre's four-year-old daughter Tracy (Christabel Finch). However, by 1983, Deirdre grows bored with Ken and has an affair with his rival, Mike Baldwin (Johnny Briggs). Ken's and Deirdre's marriage suffers; the couple separate in 1990, and eventually divorce following Ken's affair with Wendy Crozier (Roberta Kerr), his colleague at the local newspaper, ''The Weatherfield Recorder''. Ken takes the separation badly and attempts suicide by overdose, but is prevented from doing so by his friend, Bet Lynch (Julie Goodyear). Ken and Mike, who are the moral opposites of each other, remain enemies; Ken is incensed when his daughter, Susan, falls in love and has a short-lived marriage with Mike. In 1991 Ken and Mike compete for the same woman, Alma Sedgewick (Amanda Barrie). When she is dumped by Mike in favour of Jackie Ingram (Shirin Taylor), she starts seeing Ken. On Christmas Day 1991, Mike lures Alma back into his bed to get back at Ken. In 1992, Ken falls for his pupil's mother – Maggie Redman (Jill Kerman). The Baldwin/Barlow feud erupts again, as Mike is the father of Maggie's son, Mark (Christopher Oakswood). Mike hates the thought of Ken spending Christmas Day with his son, but Ken's pride gets the better of him. He cannot handle the situation, and he and Maggie split. Ken has a relationship with the much younger Denise Osbourne (Denise Black) in 1994 and fathers her child; their son Daniel (Lewis Harney) is born in 1995, by which time Ken is 55 years old. Denise agrees to marry Ken, but is having an affair with her brother-in-law Brian Dunkley (Benny Young) at the same time. She leaves Weatherfield in 1996, leaving Daniel with Ken. It is a short-lived custody as, later that year, Denise returns and snatches Daniel; Ken's attempts to reclaim his son fail. Ken and Deirdre remain close, despite their other relationships. They reunite in 1999, following encouragement from Deirdre's mother Blanche (Maggie Jones). They eventually remarry on 8 April 2005; although Ken discovers that Deirdre slept with Dev Alahan (Jimmi Harkishin) in 2001, he forgives her and they remain together. Deirdre supports Ken in 2002 when he loses his teaching post for assaulting a pupil, Aidan Critchley (Dean Ashton), who has been terrorising him. Marital problems arise in 2006 when, following Mike's death from Alzheimer's disease, Ken grows jealous of Deirdre's grief reaction; he leaves home and tries to rebuild a relationship with his estranged son Daniel. Daniel's mother Denise, now single, gets the wrong idea and attempts to rekindle a romance with Ken; Ken rebuffs her advances and returns to Deirdre. Ken does stray in 2009, after meeting Martha Fraser (Stephanie Beacham). Ken falls in love with Martha, and in May 2009, plans to leave with her. He cannot go through with it, and he jilts her, returning to Deirdre. Eventually he admits to the infidelity. Although Deirdre is angry, she forgives him as he had forgiven her fling with Dev; however, Deirdre later cheats on Ken again, kissing Lewis Archer (Nigel Havers). Relations are once again strained between Ken and Deirdre. The couple acknowledge their mutual unhappiness with their marriage, but remain together. In late August 2010, Norris Cole (Malcolm Hebden) discovers an unopened letter addressed to Ken, dating back to the 1960s. The letter is written by Ken's first girlfriend, Susan Cunningham (Patricia Shakesby), whom Ken had dated in 1960. Susan has a son named Lawrence (Linus Roache), who turns out to be Ken's child. Ken and Lawrence bond, which temporarily threatens Ken's relationship with his other son Peter. When Ken discovers that Lawrence is intolerant of the homosexuality of his own son, James (James Roache), Ken severs contact. Realising that he has been unappreciative and neglectful of Peter over the years, he makes an effort to bond, supporting him through his relationship and health problems that follow. In July 2013, Ken (off-screen) left for Canada to tend to his sick grandson Adam who had suffered a shock collapse at work. He returned in August 2014 after over a year away, and discovered that Peter was up for the murder of Tina McIntyre. Ken is angry with Deirdre as she did not tell him about Peter being in prison for Tina's murder. Ken vows to prove that Peter is innocent and he did not murder Tina and to find out who the real killer is. Ken has become a vegetarian since leaving the street. Ken and Deirdre later go on holiday to North Wales to have a break, reconcile and get their marriage back on track again. In October 2014, his wife Deirdre (off screen) left to stay with her friend Bev after the recent stress levels of Peter's trial and later extended her break when Bev's brother Lenny Baker died. It is not until July 2015 that she decided to return to Weatherfield in time for her 60th birthday. Ken and Liz decide to throw a surprise 60th birthday party for Deirdre in the Rovers, but Ken is shocked when her friend Bev Unwin arrives at No.1 without her to tell Ken and Tracy the terrible news that Deirdre died whilst sat outside in the sun, just before she was due to return home. Her cause of death was caused by a brain aneurysm, Ken is left upset and heartbroken as he doesn't know what he's going to do without her. Ken is even more shocked to discover that the reason Deirdre stayed away for so long was because of Tracy's affair with Tony, Deirdre was intending to return a few weeks earlier but thought against it as she couldn't bare facing Tracy. Ken is angry with Tracy as she is the reason why Deirdre didn't return for so long and that she could've spent her last days in Weatherfield with Ken. Later in 2015 after Deirdre's death, Ken becomes closer to Audrey Roberts (Sue Nicholls). Audrey begins to develop feelings for Ken and intends to confess her feelings to Ken. When she goes to Ken's she finds that he already has company in the form of his new lady friend, Nessa Warner. Audrey therefore doesn't reveal her feelings to Ken. When Ken's adoptive daughter, Tracy (Kate Ford) finds out about Ken and Nessa she does not approve. She confronts Ken and accuses him of never caring for Deirdre and moving on too quick. Ken also finds out that some of Deirdre's longest friends including Rita Sullivan (Barbara Knox), and Emily Bishop (Eileen Derbyshire) also disapprove of his potential romance with Nessa. After seeking advice from Tracy's Ex-husband and new boyfriend, Robert Preston (Tristan Gemmill), he decides to continue seeing Nessa and tells Tracy that it is his life and he should be allowed to be happy and live it how he wants. Unknown to Ken, Simon has been physically abusing Leanne Battersby (Jane Danson) and when Leanne feels she can't cope, she arranges for Simon to live with Leanne. Simon and Amy are left alone at Ken's house and Simon ends up hurting Amy. Amy tells Ken and Tracy, who contact Leanne and Leanne is encouraged by Eva Price (Catherine Tyldesley) to admit Simon has been hurting her. Leanne has to take Simon home and the family agree to get Simon help. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Ken Barlow」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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