Roache tells of womanising past

Coronation Street veteran William Roache has spoken about his womanising past, claiming to have bedded hundreds of women including soap legend Pat Phoenix.

The 79-year-old, who has played strait-laced Ken Barlow in the show for more than half a century, said his wild behaviour led fellow stars to dub him C**k Roache.

In an interview with former newspaper editor Piers Morgan on his Life Stories show, Bill admitted: "There were plenty of girls around. I shouldn't have done it. I didn't have any control over my own sex drive. I didn't have the strength to control it."

He told Piers he had slept with "more than 100" women and when asked if the number was nearer 1,000, he said: "Well, I'm not denying it."

The star said his infidelity caused the breakdown of his first marriage and left him "regretting and hurting".

Talking about his fling with Pat, the late actress who played flame-haired battleaxe Elsie Tanner in the show, Bill said it was "a one-off".

He said: "It was just something that happened one night when we were together."