Deirdre Barlow (Anne Kirkbride)

[Ruffed_lemur]

I had been thinking Deirdre would be coming back soon. Such sad news. RIP Anne.

[lizann]

Very sad indeed.. I know it's early ..but can't help thinking how are they going to write her off? Will be really sad occasion on the street too..
And the whole Barlow family..Peter is gone for time being so there's only Ken,Tracy and Amy..and Simon. Hopefully Bill Roache stays, although I can imagine it must be hard..I will really miss Deirdre-I missed her already after she wasn't there in few episodes! r.i.p

peter would return for her funeral on screen

[Dazzle]

peter would return for her funeral on screen

I hope he does.

[Perdita]

Tuesday, 3rd February, 7.30pm - 8.00pm


Deirdre and Me: A Tribute

Another chance to see this documentary special looking at the woman behind those famous glasses, showing as a tribute to the late Anne Kirkbride and her 40-year career playing Deirdre Barlow on Coronation Street.

Originally shown in November 2012, this hour-long documentary sees Anne takes the cameras backstage at Coronation Street and talks about everything from her battle with depression to being diagnosed with cancer, her close relationships with her fellow cast members to meeting her future husband on set.

And she explains how she coped playing one of the most loved characters on our screens as she faced such personal issues behind-the-scenes.

Anne takes viewers back to the start of her career when she was a theatre stage manager in Oldham, before talking about the first time she stepped onto Coronation Street.

She reveals her fears that, after just six years on the Street, she might have to leave the show when her colleague, Neville Buswell, who played her husband, decided to quit.

The programme also reunites Anne and William Roache, who plays her screen husband Ken, with Johnny Briggs, who played Mike Baldwin. The trio discuss the affair that rocked the Street almost 30 years ago when Ken discovered Deirdre had been sleeping with Mike.

Plus, Anne talks about her private life, including her cancer diagnosis, and her battle with depression that she faced as Deirdre was locked up for fraud in the famous Weatherfield One storyline.

As she takes cameras into her dressing room on the Coronation Street set, Anne also talks about her close off-screen relationships with her on-screen family. And other cast members past and present, including William Roache, Michelle Keegan and Chris Gascoyne share their thoughts about working with Anne over the last 40 years.

[mariba]

And its about time that Tracy would finally grow up! The Barlow family future and reputation is soon in her(and Peter's) hands..

[swmc66]

I hope they show a different Tracy as Deirdre was the only one who loved her unconditionally. It should show her serious loss and it should be visible for some time. But they never do things properly.

[Perdita]

The funeral of Coronation Street icon Anne Kirkbride was held yesterday (January 27).

Family and close friends paid their last respects at a small, private service for the actress, who passed away at the age of 60 last week.

Anne Kirkbride and William Roache in Coronation Street
© Rex Features / McPix Ltd

According to The Mirror, her husband David Beckett and brother John Kirkbride requested an *invitation-only service.

Coronation Street colleagues thought to have been invited include Bill Roache (Ken Barlow), Kate Ford (Tracy Barlow), Chris Gascoyne (Peter Barlow) Beverley Callard (Liz McDonald) and former Corrie actor Johnny Briggs (Mike Baldwin).

Filming at Coronation Street was cancelled for the day on January 20 as a mark of respect to Kirkbride, who had played Weatherfield's Deirdre Barlow for 42 years.

William Roache pays tribute to Anne Kirkbride during the 2015 National Television Awards at the O2 Arena, London
© PA Images / Ian West/PA Wire

Much of the ITV soap's cast of past and present shared their condolences, while EastEnders actor Adam Woodyatt paid tribute to Kirkbride at the NTAs.


They will have to address this in the show now - will be very difficult

[parkerman]

They will have to address this in the show now - will be very difficult

Eastenders still haven't dealt with John Bardon's death. Dot is still visiting Jim, so I guess there's no rush in dealing with Deidre.

[mariba]

I hope they do deal with it as soon as they feel comfortable doing so..as Deidre has been away so long it's not believable anymore-missing your own daughter's wedding and Rob's arrest, Pete coming home from prison and then..leaving Weatherfield. And now..Tracy was just in an accident that nearly killed her?? And no mention even her mom calling her asking how she was??! I know it's a soap but it should be realistic too.

[Glen1]

If memory serves, Stan Richards who played Seth Armstrong in Emmerdale, it was about twelve months later before the screen funeral of Seth. I too hope that Anne's death is dealt with as soon as possible in terms of Deidre and not to wait for the creation of some major storyline in six months time.