Coronation Street’s William Roache has hailed his late co-star Anne Kirkbride as a “love bomb” who brought laughter to every occasion.

The 83-year-old actor was speaking to Good Morning Britain ahead of Anne’s memorial service which will be held at Manchester Cathedral on Saturday May 30.

The soap actress, who played Deirdre Barlow in the ITV soap for 42 years, died in January aged 60. Deirdre and Ken, Bill’s character, had been together for 35 years.

William Roache paying tribute to Anne Kirkbride at the NTAs earlier this year (Ian West/PA)
William Roache paying tribute to Anne Kirkbride at the NTAs earlier this year (Ian West/PA)

Bill said: “I’ve known her for more, but we were together 35 years. I’ve probably spent as much time with her as I did with my family and certainly got to know her very, very well.

“There was always a laugh waiting from Annie, whatever we were doing. The more serious it was the more likely there would be a laugh. And tomorrow at her memorial service, there will be laughter, that’s what she’d want. She was a fun loving person, she grabbed life, she loved life.

“An indication of how loved she was on all sides of the camera – three members of the crew are going to get up and do a piece because when she came on set, she’d hug me hug the directors, and then the crew – everybody there, whoever it was, she loved everybody.

Anne Kirkbride (Peter Byrne/PA)
Anne Kirkbride (Peter Byrne/PA)

“I used to call her a love bomb, because she exploded with love. A love bomb, she liked that.”

Anne was one of the soap’s best-know performers and was loved by millions for her portrayal of husky-voiced Deirdre, famed for many years for her oversized spectacles.

The ITV soap are currently filming Deirdre’s funeral scenes to air this summer.

Deirdre Barlow was known for her glasses (Jon Super/AP)
Deirdre Barlow was known for her glasses (Jon Super/AP)

William admitted: “It’s very, very strange because we’re actually filming the funeral for Deirdre, and I have a scene as Ken where I’m given Deirdre’s glasses.

“But of course Annie wore them for 30 years, so you certainly don’t need any emotion for the acting, we’re always on the verge, even now it’s just there,” he said choking back tears.

At the time of her death, Anne had been away from the screen for four months after taking a break from Weatherfield following her diagnosis with cancer.

Ken and Deirdre Barlow headed off on a romantic camping trip in Corrie
Ken and Deirdre Barlow in Corrie (ITV)

Bill recalled: “I saw her the day she died. She died in the evening on the Monday and I went that afternoon. And I was warned she’d lost a lot of weight, but when I saw her she’d lost some weight, but it had all gone back onto her beautiful bone structure and she looked beautiful, really beautiful.

“She was a very beautiful woman, but she had no vanity. There were now laws or limitations for Annie, she lived life to the full but she was an extraordinary, beautiful person, inside and out.”