Blog reader Ange left a comment on an earlier post, saying that they had "always had a thing for Ken Barlow". Now, this isn't the first time I've heard that said. Quite often, if Coronation Street comes up in a conversation, someone will say that exact phrase. "I've always had a thing for Ken Barlow." Usually, it's a fairly young woman, twenties or thirties, and they aren't referring to the young "windswept" Ken. They're talking about mature Ken. Fatherly Ken. The Ken who's seen a bit of life, from editing the Weatherfield Gazette and having an affair with Steph Beacham, to taking Eccles for a walk and collecting trolleys at Freshco.
Personally, while I really like Ken as a character - in fact, the Barlows are my all-time favourite Street family - I can honestly say I've never actually "had a thing" for him. So I'm curious to know what it is that so attracts. He's not a bad-looking chap, wearing very well for 78, but it seems to be much more than that. Perhaps it's his dependable, fatherly demeanour. Perhaps it's his passion for literature and the arts. Perhaps it's the way he constantly returns to Deirdre after all his affairs and yearnings for the so-called finer things in life. I'm not sure! If anyone can help me out here, I'd be delighted.
By the way - I love this picture of Ken and Deirdre. As far as I'm concerned it captures everything I like about Coronation Street. Two sterling characters, working their way through their umpteenth family crisis.
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6 comments:
Definately his intelligence. And his hair - Ken has glorious hair.
He's got a very petty self-righteous streak, though, which puts me right off.
I agree, it's got to be the hair!
I'm with Defrost. He's too sanctimonious for me
William Roche is actually one of the nicest people you could ever meet - I appeared on the Late Late Show with him (Ireland's biggest TV Show) way back in 1994 and he actually queued up to meet my mother after the show and went out of his way to make her feel special (he also said that he wished he was gay on-air just cos it was a show about 'coming out' haha)
Both Ken and Bill seem lovely. Ken's presence in particular is rather comforting, the way he's still there after so many years... yes, I like him a lot!
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