Coronation Street Blog: William Roache interview: Can Ken save his son?

Tuesday 19 January 2021

William Roache interview: Can Ken save his son?

Ken must be at his wits end with Peter drinking again, does he regret giving him the ultimatum about moving back into number 1?

Ken is in this awful situation where he just can’t do the right thing, his intentions were good, he thought if he shocked him and said you have got to move out it would make him see sense and make the right decision. But of course it is a bit naive to think an alcoholic will do that and Ken immediately regrets it.

A lot of people reacted to that conversation in the hospital between Ken and Peter. How is Ken coping with trying to help his son?

It is a very strange predicament to be in, in order to help Peter properly they have to manage his withdrawal from alcohol which means he has to have some alcohol every day and it is such a difficult situation for Ken to deal with.

How did Ken feel about Daniel offering to be a donor for Peter?

Peter is uppermost in his mind at the moment and he felt that was a very generous offer from Daniel which might be a solution to the problem which could help Peter feel a bit more optimistic about the future. But they are walking in a minefield . It is a very good storyline. I have known people in this situation. I have had friends who have been alcoholics and it is true what they say, you can't do anything until they turn round and say help me. Ken is trying and he can’t bear that feeling of impotence of not being able to help his son and just having to sit back and do nothing until Peter accepts he needs and wants their help. He is so disappointed that Daniel’s offer didn't have the desired effect with Peter.

Peter clearly wants Ken to leave him to his own decision but Ken decides to intervene anway, does he feel that doing practical things like circulating Peter’s picture to pubs etc make him feel like he is doing something rather than just standing by.

That is very typical of Ken. He is not someone who can just sit back and let something happen without trying to find a way to help,even by just doing something practical. He tries to go around the various pubs with a photograph of Peter asking people not to serve him. He must know this is a pretty helpless thing to do but at least he is doing something and it might just help you never know.

How does Ken feel when he finds Peter have a seizure?

It is so distressing for Ken to see that they had been warned this might happen but nothing could prepare Ken for witnessing that. It really does bring it home to them and Peter that weaning him off it gradually is the only way forward, however strange and difficult that might feel for the family to actually let him drink. Ken is in despair and he knows Peter is heading towards killing himself and he feels desperate and helpless.

Does Ken feel Carla is partly responsible for Peter’s situation?

He has certainly looked for people to blame and he has blamed Carla and Adam but it has got to a point now where it is really getting very very serious indeed and we are going down a cul-de-sac quite rapidly and blaming anyone else is absolutely pointless, there is no blame to be attached to this awful chain of events. It is just a very complex problem to be solved if you can.

Ken seems to be at the receiving end of Peter’s frustrations. Will we see more of that?

Ken is the person that Peter lashes out at. The person that is closest to them, that is trying to help them, is seen as the enemy as they are stopping them doing what they want to do. We will see more of this as the story develops.

Are you pleased that this storyline is showing the effects of alcoholism on the whole family and loved ones of the alcoholic?

Yes it is really important to show the devastating effect of alcoholism on the whole family. Families can be torn apart by it, alcoholism just as devastating for the people around the alcoholic. They have the distress of trying to help and feeling helpless. The storylines and writers are handling it very well and showing how it can cause dissent amongst families, people around the alcoholic may have different views on how to handle the situation and that can cause problems. Coronation Street has family at its heart so to explore a story like this with a family that people have invested in for so long is a great way to educate people about the effects of this sort of addiction. Hopefully it might help people realise that they are not alone, that there are a lot of people going through this.

Ken is once more dealing with his dysfunctional family, do you ever dream of the day that Ken can sit with his feet up and have a quieter life or do you still relish being at the centre of the drama?

I love being at the centre of the drama, my dysfunctional family are my bread and butter, no one wants to see Ken with his feet up, least of all me. I get given great stories and great scenes to play and act. I am fortunate to be involved with stories that people can identify with, family based stories that are part of the drama of any community. Everyone can identify with some part of Ken’s family, if the Peter story doesn’t resonate then they can see something of themselves in Ken’s relationship with Tracy and Steve or his grandchildren. This is what the street does best.

Glenda Young

Author of gritty, family saga novels with Headline