Corrie's Bill Roache reveals deep grief at death of Anne Kirkbride three years on
They were married on-screen for 33 years
Author: Emma DoddsPublished 12th Jun 2018 Last updated 12th Jun 2018
Coronation Street legend Bill Roache has opened up about his deep feelings of loss at the death of his on-screen wife Anne Kirkbride, who passed away in 2015 after a battle with breast cancer. Bill, who is the longest-serving cast member of the soap and appeared in its first ever episode, has written about his feelings for Anne in his new book, Life and Soul.
The 86-year-old revealed in his book that he "felt married" to Anne in real life, and also opened up about the last time he saw her when she was in hospital on the day that she died.
In an extract of his new book, published by the Mirror, Bill writes that "you couldn’t help but love her," adding that he called her a "love bomb," and that he'd felt "married in a parallel life" to Annie, as he called her - even revealing that the vicar who'd married them in the show was a minister in real life too.
Their wedding in 1981 was even watched by more people than Prince Charles and Diana's wedding, which took place two days after.
Did you know these soap stars dated in real life?
Daisy Wood-Davis and Luke Jerdy
Hollyoaks stars Daisy Wood-Davis (Kim Butterfield) and Luke Jerdy (Jesse Donovan) have been posting a lot of loved up snaps together lately. Status: Dating
Corrie's Bill Roache reveals deep grief at death of Anne Kirkbride three years on
2 of 25
Sophie Porley and Adam Woodward
Hollyoaks actors Sophie Porley (Ellie Nightingale) and Adam Woodward (Brody Hudson) are now dating. Status: Together
Daisy Wood-Davis and Luke Jerdy
Hollyoaks stars Daisy Wood-Davis (Kim Butterfield) and Luke Jerdy (Jesse Donovan) have been posting a lot of loved up snaps together lately. Status: Dating
Sally Carman and Joe Duttine
Coronation Street stars Sally Carman and Joe Duttine are reportedly dating after a string of 'secret dates'. After attending Corrie's summer party together in July, reports suggest the couple are very happy together.
Status: Dating
Nadine Mulkerrin and Rory Douglas Speed
Hollyoaks actors Nadine Mulkerrin (Cleo McQueen) and Rory Douglas Speed (Joel Dexter) took their on-screen romance into real life!
Rory popped the question to Nadine in December 2018 - during a trip to Amsterdam! Status: Engaged
Matthew Wolfenden and Charley Webb - Met on Emmerdale. Status: Married.
Matthew Wolfenden and Charley Webb
Matthew Wolfenden and Charley Webb - Met on Emmerdale. Status: Married.
Charlie Clapham and Stephanie Davis - The Hollyoaks actors dated in 2014. Status: Split.
Charlie Clapham and Stephanie Davis
Charlie Clapham and Stephanie Davis - The Hollyoaks actors dated in 2014. Status: Split.
James Sutton and Sammy Winward - The Emmerdale co-stars had a brief romance in 2010. Status: Split.
James Sutton and Sammy Winward
James Sutton and Sammy Winward - The Emmerdale co-stars had a brief romance in 2010. Status: Split.
Peter Amory and Claire King - The Emmerdale actors were married for 10 years. Status: Divorced.
Peter Amory and Claire King
Peter Amory and Claire King - The Emmerdale actors were married for 10 years. Status: Divorced.
Jennifer James and Lee Boardman - These Coronation Street co-stars married in 2001. Status: Married.
Jennifer James and Lee Boardman
Jennifer James and Lee Boardman - These Coronation Street co-stars married in 2001. Status: Married.
Chris Chittell and Lesley Dunlop - These Emmerdale co-stars recently married in Cornwall. Status: Married.
Chris Chittell and Lesley Dunlop
Chris Chittell and Lesley Dunlop - These Emmerdale co-stars recently married in Cornwall. Status: Married.
Samantha Giles and Peter Amory - Met on Emmerdale. Status: Split.
Samantha Giles and Peter Amory
Samantha Giles and Peter Amory - Met on Emmerdale. Status: Split.
Tina O'Brien and Ryan Thomas - The Coronation Street couple a child together in 2008. Status: Split.
Tina O'Brien and Ryan Thomas
Tina O'Brien and Ryan Thomas - The Coronation Street couple a child together in 2008. Status: Split.
Alfie Browne-Sykes and Amanda Clapham - The Hollyoaks co-stars are reportedly dating. Status: Together.
Alfie Browne-Sykes and Amanda Clapham
Alfie Browne-Sykes and Amanda Clapham - The Hollyoaks co-stars are reportedly dating. Status: Together.
This Hollyoaks couple were married for 16 years. Status: Separated.
Nicole Barber - Lane and Liam Fox
This Hollyoaks couple were married for 16 years. Status: Separated.
Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan - The Neighbours co-stars split in 1989. Status: Split.
Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan
Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan - The Neighbours co-stars split in 1989. Status: Split.
The Emmerdale couple and college sweetheart married in 2003. Status: Married.
Jeff Hordley and Zoe Henry
The Emmerdale couple and college sweetheart married in 2003. Status: Married.
Alan Halsall and Lucy Jo Hudson - The pair married in 2009. Status: Married.
Alan Halsall and Lucy Jo Hudson
Alan Halsall and Lucy Jo Hudson - The pair married in 2009, but new reports suggest they have now split. Status: Split
Emmett J. Scanlan and Claire Cooper - These Hollyoaks co-stars tied the knot in January. Status: Married.
Emmett J. Scanlan and Claire Cooper
Emmett J. Scanlan and Claire Cooper - These Hollyoaks co-stars tied the knot in January. Status: Married.
Nadia Swalha and Marc Bannerman - The Eastenders stars dated for three years. Status: Split.
Nadia Swalha and Marc Bannerman
Nadia Swalha and Marc Bannerman - The EastEnders stars dated for three years. Status: Split.
Charlie Clapham and Tamara Wall - The Hollyoaks actors previously dated. Status: Split.
Charlie Clapham and Tamara Wall
Charlie Clapham and Tamara Wall - The Hollyoaks actors previously dated. Status: Split.
Anna Passey and Nick Rhys - It's thought these two Hollyoaks stars have been together for over a year. Status: Together.
Anna Passey and Nick Rhys
Anna Passey and Nick Rhys - It's thought these two Hollyoaks stars have been together for over a year. Status: Together.
Claire Goose and Jonathan Kerrigan - This casualty co-stars dated for several years. Status: Split.
Claire Goose and Jonathan Kerrigan
Claire Goose and Jonathan Kerrigan - These Casualty co-stars dated for several years. Status: Split.
Harley Bonner and Ariel Kaplan - Met on Neighbours. Status: Together. (Instagram, aroelerin)
Harley Bonner and Ariel Kaplan
Harley Bonner and Ariel Kaplan - Met on Neighbours. Status: Together.
Chris Milligan and Jenna Rosenow - Met on Neighbours. Status: Together. (Instagram, jennarosenow)
Chris Milligan and Jenna Rosenow
Chris Milligan and Jenna Rosenow - Met on Neighbours. Status: Together.
Corrie actors Daniel Brocklebank and Rob Mallard were dating until they ended their romance in July 2017
Daniel Brocklebank and Rob Mallard
Corrie actors Daniel Brocklebank and Rob Mallard were dating until they ended their romance in July 2017.
Status: Split
Sophie Porley and Adam Woodward
Hollyoaks actors Sophie Porley (Ellie Nightingale) and Adam Woodward (Brody Hudson) are now dating. Status: Together
Daisy Wood-Davis and Luke Jerdy
Hollyoaks stars Daisy Wood-Davis (Kim Butterfield) and Luke Jerdy (Jesse Donovan) have been posting a lot of loved up snaps together lately. Status: Dating
Sally Carman and Joe Duttine
Coronation Street stars Sally Carman and Joe Duttine are reportedly dating after a string of 'secret dates'. After attending Corrie's summer party together in July, reports suggest the couple are very happy together.
Status: Dating
Nadine Mulkerrin and Rory Douglas Speed
Hollyoaks actors Nadine Mulkerrin (Cleo McQueen) and Rory Douglas Speed (Joel Dexter) took their on-screen romance into real life!
Rory popped the question to Nadine in December 2018 - during a trip to Amsterdam! Status: Engaged
Matthew Wolfenden and Charley Webb - Met on Emmerdale. Status: Married.
Matthew Wolfenden and Charley Webb
Matthew Wolfenden and Charley Webb - Met on Emmerdale. Status: Married.
Charlie Clapham and Stephanie Davis - The Hollyoaks actors dated in 2014. Status: Split.
Charlie Clapham and Stephanie Davis
Charlie Clapham and Stephanie Davis - The Hollyoaks actors dated in 2014. Status: Split.
James Sutton and Sammy Winward - The Emmerdale co-stars had a brief romance in 2010. Status: Split.
James Sutton and Sammy Winward
James Sutton and Sammy Winward - The Emmerdale co-stars had a brief romance in 2010. Status: Split.
Peter Amory and Claire King - The Emmerdale actors were married for 10 years. Status: Divorced.
Peter Amory and Claire King
Peter Amory and Claire King - The Emmerdale actors were married for 10 years. Status: Divorced.
Jennifer James and Lee Boardman - These Coronation Street co-stars married in 2001. Status: Married.
Jennifer James and Lee Boardman
Jennifer James and Lee Boardman - These Coronation Street co-stars married in 2001. Status: Married.
Chris Chittell and Lesley Dunlop - These Emmerdale co-stars recently married in Cornwall. Status: Married.
Chris Chittell and Lesley Dunlop
Chris Chittell and Lesley Dunlop - These Emmerdale co-stars recently married in Cornwall. Status: Married.
Samantha Giles and Peter Amory - Met on Emmerdale. Status: Split.
Samantha Giles and Peter Amory
Samantha Giles and Peter Amory - Met on Emmerdale. Status: Split.
Tina O'Brien and Ryan Thomas - The Coronation Street couple a child together in 2008. Status: Split.
Tina O'Brien and Ryan Thomas
Tina O'Brien and Ryan Thomas - The Coronation Street couple a child together in 2008. Status: Split.
Alfie Browne-Sykes and Amanda Clapham - The Hollyoaks co-stars are reportedly dating. Status: Together.
Alfie Browne-Sykes and Amanda Clapham
Alfie Browne-Sykes and Amanda Clapham - The Hollyoaks co-stars are reportedly dating. Status: Together.
This Hollyoaks couple were married for 16 years. Status: Separated.
Nicole Barber - Lane and Liam Fox
This Hollyoaks couple were married for 16 years. Status: Separated.
Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan - The Neighbours co-stars split in 1989. Status: Split.
Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan
Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan - The Neighbours co-stars split in 1989. Status: Split.
The Emmerdale couple and college sweetheart married in 2003. Status: Married.
Jeff Hordley and Zoe Henry
The Emmerdale couple and college sweetheart married in 2003. Status: Married.
Alan Halsall and Lucy Jo Hudson - The pair married in 2009. Status: Married.
Alan Halsall and Lucy Jo Hudson
Alan Halsall and Lucy Jo Hudson - The pair married in 2009, but new reports suggest they have now split. Status: Split
Emmett J. Scanlan and Claire Cooper - These Hollyoaks co-stars tied the knot in January. Status: Married.
Emmett J. Scanlan and Claire Cooper
Emmett J. Scanlan and Claire Cooper - These Hollyoaks co-stars tied the knot in January. Status: Married.
Nadia Swalha and Marc Bannerman - The Eastenders stars dated for three years. Status: Split.
Nadia Swalha and Marc Bannerman
Nadia Swalha and Marc Bannerman - The EastEnders stars dated for three years. Status: Split.
Charlie Clapham and Tamara Wall - The Hollyoaks actors previously dated. Status: Split.
Charlie Clapham and Tamara Wall
Charlie Clapham and Tamara Wall - The Hollyoaks actors previously dated. Status: Split.
Anna Passey and Nick Rhys - It's thought these two Hollyoaks stars have been together for over a year. Status: Together.
Anna Passey and Nick Rhys
Anna Passey and Nick Rhys - It's thought these two Hollyoaks stars have been together for over a year. Status: Together.
Claire Goose and Jonathan Kerrigan - This casualty co-stars dated for several years. Status: Split.
Claire Goose and Jonathan Kerrigan
Claire Goose and Jonathan Kerrigan - These Casualty co-stars dated for several years. Status: Split.
Harley Bonner and Ariel Kaplan - Met on Neighbours. Status: Together. (Instagram, aroelerin)
Harley Bonner and Ariel Kaplan
Harley Bonner and Ariel Kaplan - Met on Neighbours. Status: Together.
Chris Milligan and Jenna Rosenow - Met on Neighbours. Status: Together. (Instagram, jennarosenow)
Chris Milligan and Jenna Rosenow
Chris Milligan and Jenna Rosenow - Met on Neighbours. Status: Together.
Corrie actors Daniel Brocklebank and Rob Mallard were dating until they ended their romance in July 2017
Daniel Brocklebank and Rob Mallard
Corrie actors Daniel Brocklebank and Rob Mallard were dating until they ended their romance in July 2017.
Status: Split
Sophie Porley and Adam Woodward
Hollyoaks actors Sophie Porley (Ellie Nightingale) and Adam Woodward (Brody Hudson) are now dating. Status: Together
Although Bill had been able to say goodbye to Anne on her final day, he didn't properly feel her loss until a few weeks after she'd passed away, writing, that when they'd returned to the Barlows' living room, "a wave of emotion really hit me."
WATCH: Tracy and Ken learn of Deirdre's death in Coronation Street
He continued, "In that room were all the photos, all the memories – all the laughter and tears of the 35 years we’d been together. The cast and crew still feel her presence today. She is greatly missed."
Bill also wrote about the loss of his beloved wife Sara, who passed away six years before Anne, saying, "Of course, I grieved for Sara and Annie. But I tried not to grieve for too long. I just send them love. I know they’re in a beautiful, happy place, free of pain."