ITV Corrie fans amazed by Ken Barlow’s age as viewers complain about soap lothario’s date scenes

On Monday night’s (August 1) episode of Coronation Street, Wendy Papadapoulos, nee Crozier, and her ex-boyfriend Ken Barlow went out to dinner together.

The famous affair between Wendy, a former Weatherfield Council secretary, and Ken Barlow in 1989 caused him to divorce his deceased wife Deirdre.

The two recently made eye contact for the first time in ten years as Wendy, who was fighting for custody of her infant son Alfie after the death of his father Imran Habeeb, returned to the streets in her role as Abi Webster’s social worker.

After a brief discussion and Wendy’s remorse for upending his marriage, the two decided to say their final goodbyes.

But this week, there were hints of a possible romantic revival as Ken approached Wendy and extended an invitation to meet for coffee.

Then, at 1 Coronation Street, Ken requested Wendy share his lasagne and said that he understood Wendy’s loneliness because he still misses Deirdre, who passed away in 2015.

As they ate next to her picture, Wendy referred to Ken and Deirdre as “M&S fish and chips.” Abi joked with Wendy about the “huge sexual Ken tension” after learning about their date.

The fact that vivacious Ken is 82 and nearly eight years younger than actor William Roache, who turned 90 in April, has Corrie fans in a spin. Tweeted by @JamesDawson911 regarding the events: “Ken doesn’t appear to be his age. He will surpass 100 without a problem.”

RT @CxxPIPxx: “I can tell that Ken, the seasoned Casanova, is still an expert at entertaining. For one, microwave lasagna.” Ken “Love Island” Barlow is at your service in “Corrie,” @PJDavies1962 joked.

On the Facebook page for the Coronation Street fan chat, Anne Hora stated: “The age of William Roache is 90. He portrays Ken Barlow, a character who is 82 years old. Mr. Roache, you look good for your age.”

Jane Morris also wrote: “William Roache looks incredible for his age, in my opinion. I have always adored him as Ken Barlow ever since I first saw him in Corrie episode 1. He has a lot of female “friends.” Deirdre was his true love.”

While Ken was with his previous mistress in the house he shared with Deirdre, several people were upset to witness it. “Ken, Deirdre will haunt you…so think on,” tweeted @pam debeauvoir. And @That Girl Allie reacted angrily: “Nooooo! Ken and Wendy Flamin’ Crozier are not!”

@soniast94597425 left a message: “#corrie I can see that Wendy Crozier is re-entering Ken’s life. She planned to do this.” Then @TraylorHolmes exploded, saying, “It’s not right #Corrie that Ken Barlow & Wendy Crozier sat in his house with Deirdre’s name in their mouths.”

However, @salty1980 said that the sequence starring Ken and Wendy was “such a wonderful, heartfelt, and well directed scene.” Also from @DavidBoink: “At least Ken isn’t preparing Deidre’s renowned stuffed marrow, Wendy. That would be excessive!”

When Wendy attempted to restart her affair with Ken in 2012, he turned her down. At the time, Wendy was a widower governor at Bessie Street School.

He had remarried Deirdre, and when she suspected they had resumed their romance, Wendy lied to her and said they had slept together.

Deirdre came to the realization that Ken had been telling the truth all along when he told Wendy he didn’t want to see her again.

When Roberta Kerr’s character Wendy first met former journalist Ken, he was the publisher of the Weatherfield Recorder. The two of them bonded over their dislike of council corruption.

Fans of Corrie were thrilled when she abruptly returned last month after a judge mandated that Alfie and Abi be placed in a mother and child foster facility for evaluation.

Wendy initially remained silent when Abi stated she was from Coronation Street until Tracy, Deirdre’s daughter, noticed her and aggressively confronted her.