Coronation Street actor William Roache has revealed the stroke storyline involving Ken Barlow made him “paranoid” about his job.

In shocking scenes aired on Monday night’s episode, Ken had a huge fight with his son Peter (returning actor Chris Gascoyne).

Just as he was about to leave for his holiday, Ken collapsed and suffered a stroke in the hallway.

Peter and Ken Barlow in hospitalPeter and Ken Barlow in hospital (ITV)

The 84-year-old actor told the Press Association and other media at a Coronation Street event in central Manchester that when he initially heard about the plot from executive producer Kate Oates, he was fearful for his job.

“Well, when I first heard about it I was a bit paranoid – first thing I said was ‘do I get better?’” said William. “And then I said the only thing I want is medical advice to make sure we’re medically correct.”

Asked if the storyline made him think about his own health, the actor reiterated: “No – it made me feel paranoid about my job. You’re quite right in a sense that I don’t act, I try to be. So to be having a stroke is not good, you set things going in your body.

In shocking scenes aired on Monday night's episode, Ken had a huge fight with his son Peter Barlow (returning actor Chris Gascoyne). (ITV)In shocking scenes aired on Monday night’s episode, Ken had a huge fight with his son Peter Barlow (ITV)

“But I do protect myself from that, I tell myself I’m just an actor enjoying playing this. But on the other hand, as an actor, to have something positive to do is brilliant and I just love it.”

Meanwhile, when asked how long he could see himself continuing in the ITV soap, William revealed that he would like to work until he was at least 100.

“It would be good to be the first centurion actor still in a soap,” said the actor, who has starred in Corrie for 56 years.

Deirdre and Ken BarlowDeirdre and Ken Barlow (ITV)

With the stroke storyline, William said that he wanted to ensure that what went on screen was “medically correct”.

He added: “As an actor, you don’t act the deformity, you act trying to speak through it. So I thought ‘Well, if I bite my tongue like that and trying to talk like that…’ she (Manchester stroke specialist Pippa Tyrell) said ‘perfect, that’s it’. So I was very happy.

“Later on, I stopped biting my tongue and would just speak out of the corner of my mouth. So yes, it’s been… as an actor, it’s good to have something to do like that, but you want to get it right, which I think we did.

New Corrie boss Kate OatesNew Corrie boss Kate Oates (ITV)

“Someone said I sounded like Marlon Brando, but maybe Marlon Brando sounded like me? I don’t know.

“All you do is you let your voice hang out, speaking slowly and gesticulate a bit more. So I don’t mind having something in common with Marlon Brando.”

The actor also heaped praise on producer Kate, who joined Coronation Street from Emmerdale earlier this year and has brought back two returning male Barlow characters who will be on screen soon: Adam Barlow (returning actor Sam Robertson) and Daniel Barlow (Rob Mallard).

“She is absolutely wonderful and when she told me about this I was absolutely thrilled to bits,” he enthused.

Ken BarlowKen Barlow (ITV)

“The Barlows have always been female, with Blanche and Deirdre and the two children,” said William. “And suddenly it’s four males. They have a scene round the bed in the hospital and I actually felt this sense of family.

“It was really quite exciting and I hope we’ll become like a Mafia family. We in-fight like crazy but if anybody else attacks us – we’ll go out and get them.”