Coronation Street’s Anne Kirkbride Dies At Age 60

Actress Anne Kirkbride has died after being admitted to a Manchester hospital due to an illness. She was 60-years-old. Kirkbride was known for her role as Deidre Barlow in the UK hit soap opera Coronation Street. She was a cast member on the show for 42 years.

Co-star William Roache, who plays Kirkbride’s onscreen husband, has starred alongside her for 40 plus years and expressed sorrow over her passing. In his own words:

“I feel Anne’s loss so personally having worked closely with her for over 40 years. She was such a loving and vibrant person. You always knew she was there because her laugh was never far away.”

Actress Kate Ford, who plays Kirkbride’s onscreen daughter, also paid her tribute to the beloved actress through her Twitter.

Heartbroken at the loss of my friend and beautiful on screen mummy. The most crazy funny 100 per cent human. My life was enriched by her

— kate ford (@kateford76) January 19, 2015

Anne Kirkbride’s death was confirmed by ITV, the network that airs the show. Coronation Street producer Kieran Roberts also issued a statement expressing his grief and the legacy she leaves behind as the iconic Barlow whose character has become a fan favorite for long-time viewers.

Making its debut in 1960 and still running to this day, Coronation Street is the world’s longest lasting soap opera. Kirkbride joined the cast in 1972 as a 17-year-old unknown actress. Deidre Barlow – who started the show as Deidre Hunt – became a fan favorite in the 80s and was always involved in one way or another in the show’s major plotlines. Most of her drama revolved around complicated love triangles and her relationship with Roache’s character whom she was married to twice.

Later, in 1998, Barlow was jailed after being caught in a mortgage fraud scheme orchestrated by her then-fiancé Jon Lindsay. Kirkbride’s character by then had become so popular that fans launched a real-life campaign to free Barlow. The campaign quickly became widespread and was even supported by Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Anne Kirkbride’s death has hit the Coronation Street community hard and is devastating news for both fans and the show’s cast and crew. Kirkbride is survived by her husband, actor David Beckett, whom she met on the show. Filming for the show has been put on hiatus to allow time for cast and crew to grieve.

[photo credit: Wiki Commons]

Coronation Street’s Anne Kirkbride Dies At Age 60