Skip to main content

Home News News World

7 September 2017 2:27 AM

Tributes flood in for ‘Corrie’s Anne Kirkbride

By Will Stroude

Tributes have flooded in from friends and colleagues of Anne Kirkbride, who died yesterday (January 19), aged 60.

The iconic soap actress – who played who Weatherfield’s Deidre Barlow for 43 years from 1972 – passed away peacefully at a hospital in Manchester following a short illness.

Kirkbride had been on a leave of absence from the soap since October, but was expected to return to the show later this month.

deirdre barlow

ITV’s Director of Television Peter Fincham led the tributes to the late star, crediting her for creating a “unique and unforgettable character” in Deidre Barlow.

“Anne has been a truly loyal servant to Coronation Street since joining the programme in the early 1970s,” he said.

“She created a unique and unforgettable character in Deirdre Barlow and she’ll be greatly missed on and off screen. Our sincerest condolences to Anne’s husband David and her family at this very sad time.”

Bill Roache, who played Anne’s onscreen husband Ken Barlow said:  “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.

“She was an impeccable performer with superb comedy timing and an immense gift for really heightened drama. We had some rows over the years as Ken and Deirdre and it was wonderful to play those scenes opposite her. Coronation Street has lost one of its iconic characters and Anne will be greatly missed.”

Hundreds of tributes have also been paid to Kirkbride by her friends and admirers. Take a look at some of them below:

More stories:British army’s highest-ranked trans soldier speak out: ‘I was living an act’HSBC chief exec: ‘If I wasn’t gay I probably wouldn’t be CEO

In This Article: