'Coronation Street's Ken Barlow is to take Audrey Roberts out on a date three months after his wife Deirdre's death.

Ken Barlow and Audrey Roberts

Ken Barlow and Audrey Roberts

Ken - who is played by William Roache - bid an emotional farewell to on-screen wife Deirdre earlier this year following the death of the actress Anne Kirkbride and it's now been revealed he's planning to move on with hairdresser Audrey (Sue Nicholls).

Sue said: "There are some very big shoes to fill and they are very different people so I was quite surprised when I was first told about what was going to happen, but nicely surprised.

"In fairness it depends what they are going to do and how it develops, it is nice that it is quite a slow burner and is coming from a mutual friendship."

The 71-year-old actress confessed she was shocked when she learned her character would develop feelings for Ken as they've both been in the soap for so long but never really been involved in the same storylines.

She explained: "I love Bill but we haven't ever really worked together before this to any degree - I have been in the Barlow's maybe about half a dozen times in total before this storyline.

"It is a joy for me as an actor to work with different people, you get used to working with your on screen family and it is lovely to suddenly have something different.

"Bill is a real giggler and it seems I make him laugh even when I'm trying to be dramatic."