Coronation Street legend Bill Roache has revealed that the soap's older cast members should be back filming "by the autumn".

Filming of new episodes in a COVID-safe environment began last month but cast members aged over 70 were excluded from proceedings to start with.

Among those in that group are 88-year-old Roache (Ken Barlow), Barbara Knox (Rita Sullivan), Sue Nicholls (Audrey Roberts), David Neilson (Roy Cropper) and Maureen Lipman (Evelyn Plummer).

Speaking to The Mirror, Roache has revealed that the "oldies" have now been told that they will be able to return to set soon, just in time for the big 60th anniversary celebrations in December.

"I'm looking forward to it," he told the newspaper. "I don't want to slow down. I want to speed up!

"They have started filming again, but not for us oldies. But probably by the autumn they have said we could be back. I had no idea until they contacted me and they asked me if I wanted to go back and I said yes.

"Then I had to get a doctor's report that he considers the protocols they have got are good, which he has done."

Roache has been part of Corrie since its very first episode in December 1960 and is expected to be a central figure in the milestone celebration.

> 20 characters who could return for Coronation Street's 60th anniversary