Coronation Street and Bill Roache are the recipients of new Guinness World Records ahead of the show's 60th anniversary.
Just like a decade ago when ITV celebrated 50 years of Corrie, Guinness is recognising Coronation Street with an updated award for the longest-running soap opera in the world.
Roache is also credited as the longest-running TV soap star globally, having made his first appearance as lovelorn Ken Barlow in the first-ever episode of Coronation Street on December 9, 1960.
"I would like to thank Guinness World Records for this new award. I have been very fortunate to have been in this wonderful programme, Coronation Street, which has carried me into this world record and a lifetime of wonderful memories," the actor said.
Related: Coronation Street stars team up for 60th anniversary charity fan film
Coronation Street producer Iain MacLeod honoured the vision of soap creator Tony Warren with creating a rich world in Weatherfield that has left an indelible mark on TV.
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"When Coronation Street, Tony Warren's groundbreaking, visionary project, launched in 1960, a columnist in a national newspaper predicted it wouldn't last more than three weeks. Sixty years later, I can safely say the many hundreds of people that have worked tirelessly and dedicatedly on the show have proved that prediction staggeringly wrong," the producer said.
"It is an incredible achievement, a testament to Tony's instincts as a dramatist and proof that the characters and narrative universe he designed are still as relevant today as they were then."
In addition to celebratory anniversary episodes placing Ken Barlow at the centre of a major storyline, ITV has also released a new book detailing the entire history of Weatherfield.
Coronation Street airs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 7.30pm and 8.30pm on ITV.
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