Street filming halted for service

Bill and Sara Roache had been married for 30 years

A day's filming on Coronation Street has been cancelled for the first time in 10 years so staff can attend a service for Bill Roache's late wife.

The set will be closed on Tuesday, the day of Sara Roache's service.

Filming was last suspended in 1999 when actor Bryan Mosley, who played shopkeeper Alf Roberts, died.

Scripts are being rewritten to cover the absences of Bill Roache and actress Kym Marsh, whose baby son died last week after being born 18 weeks early.

Scripts are being rewritten due to Bill Roache's absence and Kym Marsh's absence so there are going to be script changes Coronation Street spokesman

The spokesman said script meetings had been planned to come up with plot changes in the Manchester-based soap.

"Scripts are being rewritten due to Bill Roache's absence and Kym Marsh's absence so there are going to be script changes," he said.

"But we do plan on filming other days this week."

Sara Roache died unexpectedly at the age of 58 on 7 February.

Following her death, show bosses told 76-year-old Roache - who appeared in the drama's first episode in December 1960, making him the UK's longest-serving soap actor - to take off as much time as he needed.

On Wednesday, Marsh's son with Hollyoaks actor Jamie Lomas - Archie Jay Lomas - died shortly after being born prematurely.

The former Hear'Say singer, 32, who plays barmaid Michelle Connor, said in statement: "Archie is our beautiful angel and we will miss him so much."

She had been due to take maternity leave in the summer.