Bill Roache reveals two-year feud with Pat Phoenix over Corrie on-screen death

Coronation Street legend Bill Roache has revealed that he endured a two-year feud with a former co-star described as unprofessional. The 93-year-old actor, who has played Ken Barlow since Corrie began in 1960, spoke during a rare public appearance at An Audience With Coronation Street in Salford.

Roache recounted the dispute with Pat Phoenix, who played Elsie Tanner, dating back to a 1971 scene in which his on-screen wife Valerie Tatlock, played by Anne Reid, dies. The tension stemmed from a moment when Phoenix appeared to push the boundaries of the scene and Roache confronted her. The director reportedly allowed Phoenix to take the scene in her preferred direction, and the exchange sparked a rift that lasted about two years. The pair did not speak during that period, even as they continued to work together on the soap.

The off-screen disagreement centered on how intense the death of Valerie Tatlock should be portrayed. Tatlock’s demise on screen involved her being electrocuted by a hairdryer, a moment that Roache and Phoenix disagreed about in the heat of production. Despite the clash, both actors remained part of the Coronation Street cast, and their on-screen partnership continued even as their personal relationship was described as frosty for years.

Roache described a turning point that eventually eased the tension. Two years after the disagreement, the two stood side by side waiting to film a scene when Phoenix’s birthday approached. The moment contributed to a reconciliation, and Roache said they became good friends again after that.

Pat Phoenix remained a familiar face to viewers for decades, playing Elsie Tanner from 1960 to 1973, with a return in 1976 before leaving again in 1982. Phoenix died in 1982 at age 62 from lung cancer. Roache, meanwhile, has continued his long-running role as Ken Barlow and was recently honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at The Entertainment Agents’ Awards. Accepting the accolade, he spoke of the privilege of a lifelong career on Coronation Street and of hoping to remain on the cobbles for years to come, ideally until he is 100.

The exchange between Roache and Phoenix offers a window into the pressures of a long-running soap and the ways personal dynamics can intersect with a shared, multi-decade commitment to a beloved television institution. Roache’s remarks at the Salford event underscored the sense of history that surrounds Coronation Street as it continues to shape British culture and entertainment.