Corrie suspend filming for Roache memorial

The cast and crew of Coronation Street are to take a break from filming tomorrow in order to attend Bill Roache's wife's memorial service.

Earlier this month, 76-year-old Roache - who plays Ken Barlow in the Weatherfield soap - was left devastated when his wife Sara, 58, died suddenly of a suspected heart attack at the couple's Cheshire home.

Only days after the news of Roache's passing, Kym Marsh (Michelle Connor) and her partner Jamie Lomas - who plays Warren Fox in Hollyoaks - announced the loss of their first child Archie, who was born 18 weeks prematurely and died seconds after delivery.

Suspension of filming last occurred ten years ago following the death of Bryan Mosely, who played shopkeeper Alf Roberts.

Some of the soap's scripts are due to be re-worked to enable a full day's filming to take place today. Following Roache's memorial, production of the soap at Granada Studios in Manchester will return to normal on Wednesday.

A Corrie spokesperson said of the matter: "We will have to tinker with scripts but we will be filming every day this week apart from Tuesday."

Three of the soap's actors became parents last week, as Alison King (Carla Gordon) and Jack P. Shepherd's (David Platt) girlfriend Lauren Shippey both gave birth to baby girls, while Wanda Opalinska (Vicki Dankowska) delivered a baby boy named Rafal