Coronation Street's Bill Roache Arrested on suspicion of rape

noelyf

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Coronation Street actor Bill Roache has been arrested over a rape allegation.


The actor, who has played Ken Barlow in the TV soap for decades, was held at his home in Wilmslow, Cheshire, this morning.


Roache, 81, faces an allegation of raping an under-age girl in Lancashire between April and July 1967.


A spokesman for Lancashire Police said: "An 81-year-old man from Wilmslow in Cheshire has this morning, Wednesday May 1 2013, been arrested by Lancashire Constabulary on suspicion of rape.


"The man will be interviewed at a police station in Lancashire during the course of the day.


"We take all allegations of sexual abuse extremely seriously and would encourage people with any information about sexual abuse, or anyone who has been a victim of sexual abuse, to come forward and report their concerns confident in the knowledge they will be investigated appropriately and with sensitivity."


An ITV spokeswoman said the broadcaster was not in a position to comment, but it is understood Roache will not appear in the long-running soap while investigations continue.


Roache, who has played Barlow since the first episode of Corrie, holds the record as the world's longest-serving soap actor.


He collected an award from Guinness World Records in 2010 for his achievement, having joined in 1960 for the series which was expected to last for just 13 episodes.


* Coronation Street actor Michael Le Vell will stand trial in September after being accused of 19 offences including six counts of raping a child, six allegations of indecently assaulting a child and seven counts of sexual activity with a child - between 2001 and 2010. Le Vell, 48, has denied the allegations and vowed to clear his name with a vigorous defence. There is no suggestion of any connection between these allegations and the historic one Roach is being questioned over which is said to date from 1967.
 
In 1967 even if he did do it he get away with it now seems alot off this comming up now that jim fix it is out in the open.
 
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