KEN Barlow bid farewell to Coronation Street in tonight's heart-wrenching episode. The retired teacher, 80 – who is played by actor Bill Roache in the ITV soap – had viewers in tears as he left the cobbles to move into a luxury retirement flat.
Ken left audiences at home feeling all nostalgic in emotionally fraught scenes that saw him saw goodbye to his beloved dog Eccles and his home. Barlow – who wasn't allowed to bring Eccles into the retirement home – took a moment alone with his pooch to bid farewell. Cradling the dog in his lap, Ken whispered: "Maybe I could smuggle you in in a suitcase. What do you think about that sweetheart?" He added: "All you ever wanted was my companionship and maybe a little bit of bacon. "This is not goodbye, this is au revoir. Until we meet again."