Coronation Street veteran Barbara Knox has paid tribute to the soap for its 60th anniversary.
Barbara, who plays Rita Tanner, made her Weatherfield debut in 1964. She's not only gathered huge acclaim from audiences over the decades, but was also made an MBE back in 2010, Corrie's 50th anniversary year.
In a video on Corrie's official Twitter today (December 9), Barbara recounted her legendary journey.
Related: Coronation Street marks 60th anniversary with impressive 'then and now' studio pictures
"I want to tell you a bit about it, and I want to tell you I started right here, on this spot, all those years ago as Rita Littlewood," she said, speaking from the Rovers Return set.
"I'd come to sing at the Viaduct Club, but I had no digs so I came in here and Stan Ogden – Hilda Ogden's husband – was very kind to me and said, 'Sit down love and get her a drink, and Dennis Tanner will be here in a few minutes and he's the manager of the Viaduct Club, he'll find somewhere for you'."
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Barbara then explained: "And that to me just summed up the warmth and the kindness that I walked into, me, to play this character all those years ago. And I fell in love with Coronation Street, and I never wanted to leave."
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Further into her tribute, the star admitted the soap has given her a "wonderful life", before extending her gratitude towards its fanbase.
"Please, be loyal to us, as you have, because without you we have nothing really," Barbara said.
"I hope we've entertained you. I've loved it, I hope you have."
Coronation Street airs Monday, Wednesday and Friday nights on ITV at 7.30pm and 8.30pm, with Fridays sometimes featuring an hour-long episode from 7.30pm instead.
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