Coronation Street’s Rita Tanner is a soap legend – but fans of the ITV soap have been left stunned after learning the age of actress Barbara Knox
Coronation Street fans have been left gobsmacked after discovering the age of Rita Tanner actress Barbara Knox.
The cobbles icon made her Corrie debut way back in 1964. Since then, Rita become one of the soap’s beloved characters.
Currently, Barbara is only second in the age ratings behind 92-year-old Bill Roache, who plays Ken Barlow.
And it’s fair to say The Kabin owner Rita has had her share of big storylines too over the years. From affairs to feuds, her time in Weatherfield has not been short of drama.
Rita also had three husbands during her stint – Len Fairclough, Ted Sullivan and Dennis Tanner. She holds the record for receiving more marriage proposals than any other character, a whopping 15 from 12 different men.
However, fans have recently been left stunned after finding out the age of actress Rita. On a Facebook Corrie fan page, one person wrote: “As if Rita is 90 !! She looks amazing!!”
Someone else added: “Nooo way ! …she looks fabulous.” A third penned: “She’s amazing for her age.”
Echoing their thoughts, another chimed in and proclaimed: “Beautifulest actress ever on Corrie still looks fab at 90.” A fifth wrote: “Yes she is. Omg she does look bloody good !!”
Barbara first played the role of Rita Littlewood in Coronation Street on 2 December 1964, when she appeared for only one episode as an exotic dancer and a friend of Dennis Tanner. She returned in January 1972 as Rita Bates, the common-law wife of Harry Bates.
In 2010, Barbara was awarded an MBE for her services to drama. She has also won numerous awards for her role as Rita, including the Lifetime Achievement Award at the British Soap Awards.
Last year, she reportedly signed an extension on her Corrie deal. An insider told The Sun: “Barbara is in Corrie’s DNA.
“She is a true pro, and the executives were delighted that she put pen to paper to ensure she’s on screens into next year. The source continued: “Corrie is a lovely, steady place to work with a supportive team, so it makes it easy to fit around family, having kids and as the cast have grown older.
- “Corrie Spoilers: Carla Faces Threats, Hope Strikes Again, and Updates on Bethany”
- “CARLA Connor Shares a Heartfelt Moment with Another Resident Following Her Attack at the Factory in Next Week’s Coronation Street”
- “Coronation Street’s Betsy Swain Actress ‘Senses Trouble’ with Major New Arrival”
- “Exclusive: Coronation Street Star Speaks Out About Rowan’s Comeback”
- “Coronation Street: Kit Linked to Joel’s Disappearance”
