Coronation Street viewers are only just realising two beloved characters on the soap are actually father and son in real life

Coronation Street has a history of incorporating real-life family members into its storylines, and fans have been left astounded to discover that two popular characters are actually father and son off-screen. The ITV soap has seen siblings, cousins, and even parents and their children sharing the set over the years.

Notable examples include Brooke Vincent and Ellie Leach, who are cousins in real life, and the late Rick Neelan (played by Greg Wood), who was the real-life brother of footballer Tommy Orpington (portrayed by Matt Milbur). However, it’s the familial connection between soap legend Will Roache and his sons that has recently left fans stunned.

Will, who plays Ken Barlow, has starred alongside his real-life sons on the soap multiple times. In the 1970s, Will’s son Linus Roache took on the role of Ken’s son Peter Barlow when he was just nine years old, becoming the fourth child actor to do so. He held this role for two years.

The Roache family has a strong connection to Coronation Street(Image: ITV)

Linus returned to the soap in 2010, once again sharing the screen with his famous father, but this time as sharp-suited businessman Lawrence Cunningham. It was later revealed that Lawrence was Ken’s long-lost son from his relationship with Susan Cunningham (Patricia Shakesby) in 1961.

In another surprising twist, Will’s other son James joined the soap in 2010, playing Lawrence’s on-screen son, James Cunningham. Ken played a significant role in trying to build a relationship between Lawrence and James after Lawrence struggled to accept that James was gay, reports Lancs Live.

Will’s two sons have appeared on the soap(Image: ITV)

James also had the chance to play his own father, William, in a 2010 drama about Corrie’s history, called The Road to Coronation Street. Meanwhile, Linus’s acting career flourished with roles in big Hollywood films like Batman Begins and The Wings of the Dove.

In the past, Will expressed how “enormously proud” he was of the time they spent working together on the ITV soap. When discussing Linus’s acting career, he told The Sun: “When I’m in New York, no one bothers about me, it’s all about Linus. James is just getting started but will no doubt be just the same.”

Fans have been left floored(Image: ITV)

It’s clear that The Roache family has a strong connection to Coronation Street, with many family members appearing on the show at some point. Linus’s mother, Anna, even appeared in several episodes back in 1962.

Recently, soap fans were surprised to discover that Will had starred alongside his sons on Coronation Street. On a Corrie Facebook fan page, alongside photos of Will and Linus and James, one fan wrote: “Did anyone else know that Ken’s real sons were in the soap? ! ” Another fan replied: “I do now! No way.” A third person commented with a mind-blown emoji, while a fourth fan declared: “That is amazing.”

Coronation Street airs Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX