Coronation Street star Bill Roache, 81, arrested over claims he raped a 15-year-old girl in 1967

Coronation Street star Bill Roache was today sensationally arrested over claims he raped a 15-year-old girl in 1967.

The 81-year-old actor, who has played strait-laced Ken Barlow for five decades, was held during a breakfast time swoop at his home in Wilmslow, Cheshire.

He was not held by detectives from Scotland Yard's Operation Yewtree, which is investigating ‘historic’ sex crimes in the wake of the Jimmy Savile scandal.

His arrest comes just weeks after he was forced to issue a public apology after claiming child sex abuse victims were being punished for past sins.

He had faced a backlash following his claim that people should not be judgmental but ‘totally forgiving’ of paedophiles.


Roache also called for anonymity for those accused of child sex offences until they had been convicted of any charges.


Details of his arrest emerged after two uniform police officers were spotted outside his home.

Lancashire Police said: 'An 81-year-old man from Wilmslow in Cheshire has this morning, Wednesday, 1st May 2013, been arrested by Lancashire Constabulary on suspicion of rape.

'The man will be interviewed at a police station in Lancashire during the course of the day.


'The offences are alleged to have been committed in Haslingden between April and July 1967 and to involve a girl aged 15 years.

'We take all allegations of sexual abuse extremely seriously and would encourage people with any information about sexual abuse, or anyone who has been a victim of sexual abuse, to come forward and report their concerns confident in the knowledge they will be investigated appropriately and with sensitivity.'

An ITV spokeswoman said the broadcaster was not in a position to comment, but it is understood Roache will not appear in the long-running soap while investigations continue.

Last month Roache spoke out to condemn public attacks on celebrities who have been accused of sex crimes.


Speaking on Monday night on a TV show in New Zealand, the actor called for stars to be allowed to keep their identities secret.
The 81-year-old told TV One’s Breakfast show: ‘There’s been a pendulum swing after the Jimmy Savile situation.


‘All I am saying is that if you’re accused you are supposed to be innocent until proven guilty but if you’re a celebrity you’re pilloried.

‘There should be anonymity for both the accuser and the accusee until such time as there is evidence and then it should come out.’