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Post by RitaLittlewood on Feb 8, 2009 16:32:28 GMT
From BBC Online:
Page last updated at 15:40 GMT, Sunday, 8 February 2009
Street actor Roache's wife dies
The wife of Coronation Street star Bill Roache has died unexpectedly at their Cheshire home, show officials said.
Sara Roache, 58, married to the Manchester show's Ken Barlow for more than 30 years, had not been ill and died on Saturday.
Mr Roache, 76, who has two grown up children with Mrs Roache, said his family were "all in a state of shock".
Bev Callard, who plays Liz McDonald, led the tributes to Mrs Roache praising her charity work for disabled children.
"She was just gorgeous, a beautiful human being," said the actress.
'Devoted couple'
"I have known her for many years and met her before I joined Corrie.
"We met many times at charity functions which she gave so much of her time to.
"She was heavily involved in a talent contest each year where money was raised to send disabled children on the holiday of a lifetime.
"A few years ago she played a judge in the show at Tracy Barlow's trial."
Show bosses told Mr Roache - who joined the Corrie cast nearly 50 years ago making him the longest serving soap actor - to take off as much time as he needed.
A spokesman said: "William and Sara were a devoted couple and our thoughts are with William and his family at this very sad time."
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How awful for him. I hope he finds the strength through his children to get through this. My thoughts are with Bill and his family.
Patsy
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Post by sootycat on Feb 8, 2009 17:01:35 GMT
OMG this is terrible. Her family must be distraught. It's bad enough when someone has been ill, but to have not been ill. My thoughts go out to him.  |
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Post by CG Wendy on Feb 8, 2009 19:30:50 GMT
What a terrible shock to read about this. My heart goes out to Bill and his family over their sudden loss. It`s bad enough to lose a family member, but when it`s so sudden it`s doubly tragic. My love and prayers to everyone in this tragic time. |
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Post by sallywebster on Feb 8, 2009 19:52:14 GMT
What awful news, this has come as a terrible shock. My thoughts are with Bill and his family.
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Post by Cheetah on Feb 9, 2009 18:58:22 GMT
Apparently they were having a cup of tea when it happened - that's how unexpected it was - really sad - made me think or rethink......
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Post by Nick on Feb 9, 2009 21:02:09 GMT
How tragic....Does anyone know what the cause of death was?
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Post by CG Wendy on Feb 9, 2009 21:12:08 GMT
Because it was so sudden I am guessing either a heart attack or a cerebral hemorrhage (blood clot on the brain)
I`m sure there will be an autopsy because of Saras sudden and very tragic death.
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Feb 9, 2009 22:04:24 GMT
I was thinking brain haemorrhage or perhaps an aneurysm.
The old cliches are true - life's too short. 58 is nothing these days. Enjoy life and sod it.
Patsy
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Post by pearly queen on Feb 9, 2009 22:53:44 GMT
It's terrible news, her family must be devastated.
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Post by Cheetah on Feb 10, 2009 13:58:54 GMT
From the Manchester Evening News.......
The wife of Coronation Street actor Bill Roache may have died from a heart attack.
Sara Roache, 58, who had not been ill, died suddenly at their home in Cheshire at the weekend. A file is being prepared for the Cheshire coroner, who will decide if an inquest is necessary.
Not that it matters much - won't change anything - but might help the family to know what really happened.
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Feb 10, 2009 16:15:49 GMT
Thanks, Cheetah. The Mail reports they're rewriting his current storyline and may use this infidelity as a reason to keep him off screen.
Patsy
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Post by sootycat on Feb 11, 2009 12:04:21 GMT
I remember watching a programme about them. She was his manager as well. He was saying she totally organised him from the minute he got up, what to wear etc. How on earth is he going to cope. |
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Jun 4, 2009 11:20:10 GMT
Lovely intereview with Bill in today's Sun:
Exclusive
The grief is numbness then great waves ... but Sara's in a better place
By SARA NATHAN
TV Editor
Published: Today
DEVASTATED Corrie legend Bill Roache admits he is struggling to get his life back on track after the death of darling wife Sara.
Bill, 77, is agonising over the fact he still does not know HOW Sara suddenly died four months ago - and will have to face the ordeal of an inquest to find out what happened.
But the star - who plays Ken Barlow in the ITV1 soap - vows: "I know that we will be together again one day. That much I'm sure of.
"Sara was everything to me and no one could replace her - I would never want that. Good heavens, no."
Sara passed away in February by Bill's side in bed. She was 58. The couple married in 1978 but had been together for 35 years.
The actor rarely talks about his spiritual side, but he firmly believes Sara has been reunited with their daughter Edwina, who died at the age of just 18 months in 1984.
And in a heartfelt Sun interview, Bill reveals how he battled to return to normality.
He says softly: "I have no fear of death. Sara will be with Edwina now and they'll be chatting away.
"It was such a shock. It was like having the carpet pulled from from under me. I've found the grieving process is not a straight line, it's variable. You have a sort of numbness to begin with - a terrible grief - then great waves."
Bill admits he almost feels guilty trying to get his life back together.
He says: "You have periods when you feel totally normal.
"It's almost callous, as if life is just going on without Sara, and then of course it hits you on the back of the neck."
In one touching moment, Bill - Corrie's longest serving actor - sighs when he says he misses his wife most when he first wakes up in the morning.
He adds: "She was my best friend, she was everything to me. When there was bad news we talked it through. When I had good news, she was the first person I would ring. That's the thing I miss the most - we talked all the time.
"But now someone who was always there suddenly isn't. It can be frustrating, you feel anger."
We meet at Bill's house in Wilmslow, Cheshire - the house that Sara made a home.
The couple's faces beam out of photos, while the lives of their children Verity, 27, and Will, 23, are catalogued on every shelf and table in childhood photographs.
As I walk in, the first thing I see is a portrait painting of Sara propped up by the stairs.
It has been there since being taken to Sara's memorial service - and Bill has used it to help him get through these tough weeks.
He says: "She looks lovely and glamorous in that painting. I come down every morning and she's there.
"I don't need that to be reminded of her, but I say hello and chat and smile. I feel very much at ease.
"It's wonderful for me that I know that she is fine. I feel her spirit has gone to its true home, so I don't worry about her. I just miss her."
The worst thing for Bill is that he still does not know what caused Sara's death. He says: "There is going to be an inquest.
"The coroner gave an interim death certificate, they did toxicology tests and an autopsy but there was nothing untoward.
"The coroner was perfectly happy it was natural causes but they just can't pinpoint what it was.
"It wasn't a heart attack, because if it was a physical thing like the heart you would see right away. The cause will be so minute that I feel it has to be in the brain."
The actor shakes his head as we chat in his lounge, with sunlight streaming in.
He is still baffled how Sara could have died so suddenly as she was "one of the the healthiest people I know".
He adds: "She never got colds - she never had a day of illness in her life. She did drink, but with meals in the evening.
"She liked her wine - actually, she was high maintenance, she liked her champagne!
"She took her vitamins. Sara was very vital, very healthy. She was looking really good. It was the shock, the disbelief of it all initially.
"And of course Sara did everything in the home - clean, cook, bought our clothes, paid the bills."
Sara died hours after their daughter Verity had arrived home from London feeling poorly.
Bill had taken some medicine into Verity's room at about 9am on a Saturday and walked back into his bedroom.
He explains: "Sara was sitting up in bed and we were chatting. Suddenly she said 'ooh' - not 'arrgh', just 'ooh'. She leant forward then fell to her side.
"I went around, straightened her up, but she was out of it. I tried to revive her but realised it was serious so I was straight on to 999.
"They kept telling me what to do, to lay her flat, but they were here in five minutes. But she'd gone, she just went. It was just unreal."
Verity was so poorly that Bill didn't tell her the news for a day, letting her sleep. He then decided he wanted to keep the news in the family for the first two days.
His eldest son from his first marriage, talented actor Linus, jetted over from New York.
Bill says: "She went in the most beautiful way. She didn't like illness.
"I used to joke, 'You'll be a terrible old woman' and we used to joke she'd be pushing me about in a wheelchair.
"We were all so dependent on her so it's good we've got to learn to stand on our feet."
After just a few days, Bill returned to filming for Corrie and was thrust into a heavy storyline as Ken cheated on wife Deirdre with the glamorous Martha, played by Stephanie Beacham.
Bill says: "It was the heaviest workload I can remember. It didn't help initially. I couldn't draw on the things you draw on as an actor.
"But I got back into it and I haven't really had any time off until the past couple of weeks.
"Anne Kirkbride (who plays Deirdre) and everyone on the Street has been wonderful. They are my family. They all came to the service and they are so loving."
Bill's fans also bombarded him with letters and notes of sympathy.
His children visit him at weekends and he is getting used to doing the cooking - his specialities are beans on toast and ready meals.
He has also started the heartbreaking task of moving Sara's clothes out of wardrobes but vows to keep her dressing room as it was.
Sara did everything for Bill - "my only chore was to walk the dog" - and he admits: "I happily surrendered everything. People thought I was hen-pecked, but we would chat over any major decisions. We very rarely disagreed.
"This gave me freedom to learn my lines, go to work, meditate. Sara was wonderful, she protected me.
"People say 'You let her buy your clothes' but I hate buying clothes!
"If I look dapper, it's only because of Sara. And I'll continue wearing the clothes she bought me until they fall to bits. I have a great respect for womanhood. Multi-tasking is extraordinary."
Sara was so organised that Bill says it is a tragedy she will not be around to organise Verity's wedding one day.
He sighs: "Sara would love that. She would love an excuse to go and buy a hat and a dress - and she would have done it brilliantly. As an organiser she was impeccable.
"Gradually, the grieving is less, I can think about her with humour. But I will never stop missing her."
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