'I would have been in the funny farm by now, darling...' Anne Reid reveals why she had to leave Coronation Street
Anne Reid played Ken Barlow's first wife Valerie in Coronation Street from 1961 until her alter ego's death in 1971, and Anne admitted she couldn't wait to leave the soap.
Anne Reid was desperate to leave Coronation Street.
The 90-year-old actress was in her 20s when she joined the ITV soap in 1961 as Valerie Tatlock and became Ken Barlow's (William Roache) first wife in 1962, and she played the character until she was electrocuted by a hairdryer in 1971.
Anne has now admitted she could not wait to leave Weatherfield because she was not enjoying the storylines she was being presented with.
In an interview with The Guardian newspaper's G2 magazine, she explained: "I said, 'I have to go - I'm going mad.'"
Asked if she was "bored", she answered: "Oh yeah! I was so frustrated, I didn't get a laugh in nine years."
William - whose alter ego Ken was married to Valerie from 1962 until her death in 1971 - has been playing Ken since the ITV soap began in 1960 and is still involved in major storylines now.
Anne thinks that if she were on Coronation Street for 65 years like William, 93, she would have gone mad.
She said: "Well, he's pseudo-middle class!
"God, I don't know how he's stayed in there so long. I would have gone totally bonkers.
"It suits some people, but it doesn't suit me. No! I would have been in the funny farm by now, darling."
Anne - who was privately educated - claims she has been unfairly described as Northern and working class because of being in Coronation Street.
The acting legend said: "Honey, have you ever met a casting director? Once you've done Coronation Street, you're working class.
"I do think that hangs about."
Anne met her late husband Peter Eckersley - who worked as a writer and producer for Coronation Street - on the show, and they got married in 1971 and welcomed their son Mark that same year.
However, in 1981, Peter died aged 45 after he was diagnosed with cancer, and Anne still gets emotional talking about his sudden passing.
She said: "He was ill for a very long time.
"It was a miracle that he survived that long. We were both 45. Terribly young when I think about it now.
"I can't really talk about that much.
"Mark was nine."
Anne worked with the late comedienne Victoria Wood - who died from cancer in 2016 aged 62 - in Dinnerladies, and she loved working with her.
Speaking about being in the BBC's late '90s sitcom, Anne said: "The relief of working with people like Vic was so lovely.
"Sad that she's gone. She could never have imagined that she would die before me. Vic was a huge talent.
"Absolutely huge!"
