January 20, 201511 yr 'Coronation Street' star Anne Kirkbride dies at 60JILL LAWLESS, Associated PressLONDON (AP) — Actress Anne Kirkbride, a star of British soap opera "Coronation Street" for more than 40 years, has died at the age of 60.Network ITV says Kirkbride, who played the long-suffering, much-married Deirdre Barlow, died Monday in a hospital in Manchester, northwest England, after a short illness.Set in the fictional working-class community of Weatherfield, "Coronation Street" has been chronicling its characters' lives since 1960, with an enduringly popular mix of social realism, melodrama and humor. Kirkbride's character — renowned for her oversized spectacles and romantic travails — was at the heart of some of the soap's most dramatic story lines for decades.The show is so popular that when Deirdre was wrongly imprisoned for fraud in 1998, newspapers campaigned for her release and Prime Minister Tony Blair was among those who proclaimed her innocence."Coronation Street" executive producer Kieran Roberts said the program makers "know only too acutely how much Anne meant to the millions of people who watched her create the legendary character of Deirdre Barlow."William Roache, who played her onscreen husband Ken Barlow — the characters married, divorced then remarried years later — said the show had lost "one of its iconic characters."He said Kirkbride "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."Kirkbride is survived by her husband, David Beckett.-- (c) Associated Press 2015-01-20
January 20, 201511 yr When I was a kid living at home Corrrie was never missed in our house Such a young age to pass R.I.P
January 20, 201511 yr I've seen Coronation Street on the television at various times, but have never had the opportunity to actually watch. I know it has a very dedicated following. My condolences to her friends, family and millions of admirers.
January 20, 201511 yr Awwwww so sorry to hear that. RIP Anne I started watching Coronation St in the 70s. Great soap. Not like the shiite and drivel here!!
January 20, 201511 yr Didn't she have some type of cancer quite a few years back? She really was one of the stars of Corrie.
January 20, 201511 yr Annie was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 1993, a form of blood cancer. A brilliant actor who made "Deidre" the so likeable character in Corrie. 60 is to young to go... I am sure her heavy smoking robbed her of many years.
January 20, 201511 yr Sad news. I saw her in Hobson's Choice as Maggie in the 1990s, She could really act too unlike any of her compadres.....
January 20, 201511 yr Never miss an episode and she is a big loss to the programme. An even bigger loss to her family. RIP.
January 20, 201511 yr So sad! That's why I haven't seen her in Coronation Street on a few episodes now. RIP Anne and RIP Deirdre
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