More Dick Emery than Marlon Brando....Coronation Street's Ken Barlow as you have NEVER seen him before in questionable poses from 1970's photoshoot

He has seen many fashion trends come and go during his 50 year stint on the street.

But while his wardrobe may now consist of slippers and granddad cardigans playing Coronation Street’s Ken Barlow, it wasn’t always this way.
In fact, there was a time when Bill Roache, 78, jumped at the chance to try out a wacky new style.

Stylish: Coronation Street star Bill Roache as you have never seen him before in photos from a shoot in 1970, attempting to look like Marlon Brandon in The Wild One he falls short of the mark in this fashion monstrosity

Comedy: Bill Roache (right) looks more like Dick Emery as 'Ton-up' boy (left) than Marlon Brando

But now he may regret being so adventurous with his wardrobe and these pictures taken back in 1970 should leave him cringing.

 

He has played Ken Barlow since the inaugural episode 50 years ago but back in 1970 he demonstrated his versatility taking on the personas of Marlon Brando and Roger Moore in these tasteful, and let’s face it, tacky photographs.
In one of the shots taken from a magazine shoot Roache is posing against a wall alongside a motorbike in an attempt to emulate Marlon Brando’s iconic snap as gang leader Johnny Strabler, in The Wild One.

Captivating: Bill poses in a sharp white suit with his leg up as the wind blows his hair across his face

But the ill-fitting belt, oversized hat and green turtle neck leave the actor looking more like British comedy legend Dick Emery as his slapstick motorcyclist Ton-up boy.
And Roache himself is quick to admit that he falls short of the style mark.
‘Marlon Brando? I'd like to think so but I think I look more like Toad Of Toad Hall. It's a horrible picture,’ he told The Sun.

Multi-talented: Bill struts his stuff on the pavement as a golfer and poses in one shiny outfit as a pilot

Using his very own Coronation Street set as a location for one shot, the soap star donned a rather fruity cream and blue golfing outfit complete with matching bag and hat.
In another snap Roache shows off his best sultry pose as Roger Moore’s sharp dressing character in the television series The Saint.
Sprawled on top of a car the actor’s hair is windswept across his face in an attempt to create a vision of rugged handsomeness.
Posing with a red and yellow striped plane Bill squinted into the camera with attitude dressed in a full length shiny coat with equally shiny boots.

Familiar: Bill Roache as we know and love him as Coronation Street's Ken Barlow

‘They decided to take me out to various locations to try different outfits. I don't know if there was any motive or whether it was promoting a particular brand of clothing. It was just a bit of fun, ‘ Roache said
And despite the shocking outfits and strained facial expressions Bill feels he doesn’t look too bad.
‘I had a reasonable figure back then, before I put a bit of weight on, and was not all that bad looking.’
Although the outfits may appear strange now it seems at the time the Corrie star’s colleagues were envious of his media attention.
But as the pictures resurface four decades later Roache’s present-day co-stars may not feel the same.
Many of his current colleagues including Helen Flanagan,20, and Michelle Keegan,23, were not even a thought back in 1970 and he admits the photos could lead the current cast to crack up.
He said: ‘I think they will wryly smile when they see them.
But added: ‘There's no harm reminding people that I didn't look too bad back then.’
If you say so Bill!