Coronation Steet Rita star Barbara Knox, 90, won't retire from soap
The soap star has played Rita in the ITV soap for over 50 years and she has no plans to quit in the near future.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
Coronation Street star Barbara Knox has told soap bosses she does not want to retire.
The soap star has just celebrated her 90th birthday and after 51 years playing Rita Tanner in the ITV soap, she has not plans to stop in the near future.
Knox told the Mirror: "Unbelievable really isn't it? How the years have gone. And what we've crammed into the years and how fortunate I have been, in being in the Street for about 50 or 60 of them. I've lost track.
"So wonderful, really I've been very fortunate. I can't believe all these years have gone by and I'm looking at 90. I can't believe that. And if they're listening. I don't want to retire."
The Lancashire-born actor first appeared as dancer Rita Littlewood in an episode of Corrie in December 1964.
She joined the soap fulltime in 1972 as Rita Bates, common-law wife of Harry Bates.
Over the past 50 years she has had three other husbands, most recently Dennis Tanner.
Rita almost died after being trapped in the wreckage of her newsagent's shop The Kabin during the Corrie tram crash in 2010j, to mark the soap's 50th anniversary.
More recently her character was diagnosed with a brain tumour and undergone surgery to have it removed.
During her recovery she has considered selling her business, which she has owned since 1973, when it was bought by her then husband Len Fairclough.
Knox's 90th birthday is being celebrated in a special show looking back at her career, which airs on Friday, October 13 at 9pm on ITV1.
The actor recalled of her first day as a permanent member of the cast she was so nervous she couldn't speak in rehearsals.
She said: “I was so terrified. Bill Roache was there as Ken Barlow and he’s stood there saying whatever he’s saying and I’m shaking.
“I lost my voice. Nerves. But Pat Phoenix (Elsie Tanner) was marvellous.
“She said, ‘It’s just nerves, you’ll be fine tomorrow when we’re in the studio’ - and I was.
“It was so magical and they were wonderful to me, made me very welcome and looked after me."
The soap star is reported to have signed a new contract with Corrie recently, to stay on for at least another year.
Appearing on almost 4000 episodes of Coronation Street, Barbara Knox is believed to earn around £200,000 a year.
Read more: Barbara Knox
Corrie star Barbara Knox reveals time she was 'shaking' and 'terrified' on set (Bolton News, 2 min read)
Coronation Street's Barbara Knox leads cast as they celebrate new visitor experience (Digital Spy, 2 min read)
Coronation Street unveils first look at Barbara Knox's 90th birthday special on ITV (Digital Spy, 1 min read)
Watch: The latest soap gossip from Coronation Street
