Editing Ken Barlow (section)

==Storylines==
Ken Barlow was born and raised at 3 Coronation Street, [[Weatherfield]], [[Lancashire]]. He is the eldest son born to [[Frank Barlow (Coronation Street)|Frank]] ([[Frank Pemberton]]) and [[Ida Barlow]] ([[Noel Dyson]]). An intelligent pupil, Ken attends grammar school after passing his [[eleven plus]] exam, and in 1957 wins a scholarship at the [[Victoria University of Manchester|University of Manchester]]; he lives with his parents and brother [[David Barlow (Coronation Street)|David]] ([[Alan Rothwell]]) in Weatherfield while studying and gains a [[second class honours]] degree in History and English. Being educated and politically minded, Ken differs from his family and neighbours. This is a source of friction between Ken and his father Frank, who believes Ken is trying to distance himself from his working-class roots. When Ken writes a scathing newspaper article about his uneducated neighbours in Weatherfield, Frank and the community are outraged. In 1961, Ken's mother dies in a motor accident. Ken turns down a teaching post to support his father, but he and Frank continue to clash until Frank leaves in 1964. David and Frank's deaths (in 1970 and 1975, respectively) leave Ken as the sole surviving Barlow.

Ken begins teaching, and marries [[Valerie Tatlock]] ([[Anne Reid]]) in July 1962. Two years later, he has a fling with exotic dancer [[Pip Mistral]] (Elaine Stevens), but his marriage survives. Twins [[Peter Barlow (Coronation Street)|Peter]] (Robert Heanue) and [[Susan Barlow|Susan]] (Katie Heanneau) are born on 15 April 1965. In January 1966, Ken has another affair with reporter [[Jackie Marsh (Coronation Street)|Jackie Marsh]] (Pamela Craig); Valerie leaves when she finds out but is later persuaded to return. Ken continues to stand up for his political beliefs and spends seven days in prison in March 1967, after being arrested for protesting. He is left a single parent following Valerie's untimely death; she perishes after being electrocuted in January 1971, and he is left heartbroken. Ken is supported by Valerie's uncle [[Albert Tatlock]] ([[Jack Howarth (actor)|Jack Howarth]]), with whom he shares a close relationship, but caring for the twins proves too difficult and they are sent to live with their grandparents in [[Glasgow]].

Ken has numerous flings, including a one-night stand with [[Rita Sullivan|Rita Littlewood]] ([[Barbara Knox]]), but his next serious relationship occurs in 1973, when Ken marries [[Janet Reid]] ([[Judith Barker]]), in the hope that she will mother his two children. Janet refuses to do this, and in 1974 they separate. Janet flits in and out of Ken's life until 1977, when she kills herself by taking an overdose when Ken turns down a reconciliation.

When [[Ray Langton]] ([[Neville Buswell]]) leaves his wife [[Deirdre Barlow|Deirdre]] ([[Anne Kirkbride]]) in 1978, Ken supports her. In 1981, they marry, with Ken becoming stepfather to Deirdre's four-year-old daughter [[Tracy Barlow|Tracy]] (Christabel Finch). However, by 1983, Deirdre grows bored with Ken and has an affair with his rival, [[Mike Baldwin (Coronation Street)|Mike Baldwin]] ([[Johnny Briggs (actor)|Johnny Briggs]]). Ken and Deirdre's marriage suffers; the couple separate in 1990, and eventually divorce following Ken's affair with [[Wendy Crozier]] (Roberta Kerr), his colleague at the local newspaper, ''The Weatherfield Recorder''. Ken takes the separation badly and attempts suicide by overdose, but is prevented from doing so by his friend, [[Bet Lynch]] ([[Julie Goodyear]]).

Ken and Mike, who are the moral opposites of each other, remain enemies; Ken is incensed when his daughter, Susan, falls in love and has a short-lived marriage with Mike. In 1991 Ken and Mike compete for the same woman, [[Alma Halliwell|Alma Sedgewick]] ([[Amanda Barrie]]). When she is dumped by Mike in favour of [[Jackie Ingram]] ([[Shirin Taylor]]), she starts seeing Ken. On Christmas Day 1991, Mike lures Alma back into his bed to get back at Ken. Later in 1992, Ken falls for one of his pupil's mothers&nbsp;– Maggie Redman (Jill Kerman). The Baldwin/Barlow feud erupts again, as Mike is the father of Maggie's son, [[Mark Redman (Coronation Street)|Mark Redman]] (Christopher Oakswood). Mike hates the thought of Ken spending Christmas Day with his son, but Ken's pride gets the better of him. He cannot handle the situation, and he and Maggie split.

Ken has a relationship with hairdresser [[Denise Osbourne]] ([[Denise Black]]) in 1994 and fathers her child; their son [[Daniel Osbourne (Coronation Street)|Daniel]] (Lewis Harney) is born in 1995. Denise agrees to marry Ken, but is having an affair with her brother-in-law Brian Dunkley ([[Benny Young]]) at the same time. She leaves Weatherfield in 1996, leaving Daniel with Ken. It is a short-lived custody as, later that year, Denise returns and snatches Daniel; Ken's attempts to reclaim his son fail.

Ken and Deirdre remain close, despite their other relationships. They reunite in 1999, following encouragement from Deidre's mother [[Blanche Hunt]] ([[Maggie Jones (actress)|Maggie Jones]]). They eventually remarry on 8 April 2005; although in January 2003 Ken discovers that Deirdre had sex with [[Dev Alahan]] ([[Jimmi Harkishin]]) during Christmas 2001, he forgives her and they remain together. Deirdre supports Ken in October 2002 when he loses his teaching post for assaulting a pupil, Aidan Critchley (Dean Ashton), who has been terrorising him. Marital problems arise in 2006 when, following Mike's death from [[Alzheimer's disease]], Ken grows jealous of Deirdre's consequent grief; he leaves home and tries to rebuild a relationship with his estranged son Daniel. Daniel's mother Denise, now single, gets the wrong idea and attempts to rekindle a romance with Ken; Ken rebuffs her advances and returns to Deirdre. Ken does stray in 2009, after meeting [[Martha Fraser]] ([[Stephanie Beacham]]); he falls in love with her, and in May, plans to leave with her. He cannot go through with it, and jilts Martha, returning to Deirdre. Eventually, he admits to the infidelity. Although Deirdre is angry, she forgives him as he had forgiven her fling with Dev; however, Deirdre later cheats on Ken again, kissing [[Lewis Archer]] ([[Nigel Havers]]). Relations are once again strained between Ken and Deirdre. The couple acknowledge their mutual unhappiness with their marriage but remain together.

In late August 2010, [[Norris Cole (Coronation Street)|Norris Cole]] ([[Malcolm Hebden]]) discovers an unopened letter addressed to Ken, dating back to the 1960s. The letter is written by Ken's first girlfriend, [[Susan Cunningham (Coronation Street)|Susan Cunningham]] ([[Patricia Shakesby]]), whom Ken had dated in 1960. Susan has a son named [[Lawrence Cunningham (Coronation Street)|Lawrence]] ([[Linus Roache]]), who turns out to be Ken's child. Ken and Lawrence bond, which temporarily threatens Ken's relationship with his other son Peter. When Ken discovers that Lawrence is intolerant of the homosexuality of his own son, [[James Cunningham (Coronation Street)|James]] ([[James Roache]]), Ken severs contact. Realising that he has been unappreciative and neglectful of Peter over the years, he makes an effort to bond, supporting him through his relationship and health problems that follow.

In December 2010, Peter is caught up in the Joinery Bar gas leak explosion, which results in an unforgettable tram crash as the explosion severs the tramline above. Ken is fearful that his son is going to die, and this almost happens when Peter goes into cardiac arrest, after marrying [[Leanne Battersby]] ([[Jane Danson]]) on his hospital bed; However, Peter survives. Ken supports Peter and Leanne as Peter struggles to regain a sense of reality, the explosion having left him paralysed, potentially for life. Meanwhile, James comes to stay with the Barlows for a while, with no-one knowing that his role in a soup kitchen in town is actually part of a scam. When Ken discovers this, James packs his things and leaves; Ken tries to make him stay but James pushes him out of the way, knocking him unconscious. Ken is not seriously hurt, though.

Ken doesn't know where his loyalties lie when Peter is found to be having an affair with [[Carla Connor]] ([[Alison King]]), and he is estranged from his son, [[Simon Barlow|Simon]] ([[Alex Bain (actor)|Alex Bain]]). Ken is then shocked to discover that Peter has been indicted for the murder of [[Frank Foster (Coronation Street)|Frank Foster]] ([[Andrew Lancel]]), who had been found not guilty of raping Carla. He tries to help but is pushed away. Eventually, it is found that Frank's mother Anne was the real culprit. She is given a custodial sentence, whilst Peter is free to go. In mid-2013, Ken leaves the street temporarily to look after his grandson Adam in Canada. (a plot devised due to actor William Roache being on leave after being arrested). He returns in August 2014 to find his family in chaos. Peter has been imprisoned for the murder of his secret lover [[Tina McIntyre]] ([[Michelle Keegan]]) and Tracy is engaged to Carla's brother [[Rob Donovan]] ([[Marc Baylis]]). Carla had been pregnant with Peter's baby but had a miscarriage after they separated and Deirdre has fallen apart at the prospect of dealing with all this on her own. Ken is infuriated that Deirdre did not tell him sooner about all this and sets out to clear Peter's name, only to find that the majority of residents on the street, including Simon, believes that Peter did kill Tina. Ken is not sure whom to believe anymore. He later discovers that Peter has sacked his lawyer and it becomes even more likely that he will be found guilty of the murder.

Deirdre goes to stay with her friend, [[Bev Unwin]] ([[Susie Blake]]), in October 2014, when it becomes clear the stress of the trial is destroying her. Peter is found guilty of the murder and sentenced to life in prison. However, the verdict is quickly reversed, when it is discovered that it was actually Rob who murdered Tina. Peter is released from prison but makes the decision to leave the street, as he has hardly anything keeping him around, which hurts Simon. Ken tries to make Peter change his mind, but he is adamant on leaving, so Ken respects his wishes and sees him off. At this point, Deirdre should have come home but called back to say she was staying with Bev a while longer, as one of her relatives had just died. In July 2015, Deirdre dies and Ken is absolutely devastated by this news. Liz announces Deirdre's death in The Rovers Return. Deirdre's funeral is held the week after. It is revealed that Deirdre would have been home earlier. However, news of Tracy and Tony's fling reached her and she was ashamed to come home and face Liz. As a result, Ken feels animosity toward Tracy for seemingly stealing Deirdre's last two months from him, when she could have been home when she died.

Ken later begins dating [[Nessa Warner]] (Sadie Shimmin), much to the disapproval of Rita and Emily. Tracy is deeply upset and accuses Ken of betraying Deirdre. Ken kicks Tracy out when he discovers that Tracy has seen her ex–fiancée Rob, who's in prison for murder. In early 2016, Ken dumps Nessa after finding out Nessa had an affair with her sister Cathy's late husband. In October 2016, Ken is shocked to see his son Peter. He accuses Peter of drinking and after their argument, Ken suffers a [[stroke]] and he is hospitalised.

In early 2017, Ken's son Daniel is offered a place at [[Oxford University]]. He decides not to go choosing to support his new girlfriend [[Sinead Tinker]] ([[Katie McGlynn]]), who fell pregnant. Ken later turns on Sinead saying she has trapped Daniel and blames her for his son not going to university, something that he wishes he had done in 1960. He realized that he had wasted his time being with Deirdre<!--What does this bit mean?! ... than his kids -->, and wishes that he had not married her, but truly loved her more than his other wives, despite her affair with men like Adam's father, Mike in 1983. He mentions to Audrey that he has chosen his adoptive daughter Tracy as his favourite, for her mother's true love, over his other children, despite her actions, and wanted to leave her in his will everything. After pushing his family away from him and making Sinead have a secret abortion Ken is pushed down the stairs and left for dead by an unknown assailant. He recovers from his injuries in hospital.

In early 2019, Ken begins a relationship with Audrey's frenemy [[Claudia Colby]] ([[Rula Lenska]]). In 2020, Ken decided to move away from the street for a new adventure and moved into the Stillwaters retirement complex with Claudia. After moving in, they were introduced to Charles Moore, the chairman of the residents' committee, and Ken also discovered his old friend Norris living at Stillwaters. After missing Eccles (his dog), he sneaks her in, but is caught by Charles who sues him for damages, soon after this incident, Eccles dies of a tumour, Norris informs Ken that he had heard Charles make a comment at Eccles' expense, making him go up against Charles for election for the head of the residence committee, Ken and Norris did some digging and discovered Charles's abuse of power, secretly stealing money from the residents and after exposing this, Ken won the vote, but he handed it over to Norris as he felt unsuited for the environment of Stillwaters. As Ken and Claudia agreed they both wanted different things, Ken left, ending up back at No.1 Coronation Street. After returning, Ken makes sporadic appearances throughout late 2020. He initially announced that he would sell No.1 Coronation Street which led to a bidding war between Tracy and Steve, and Peter and Carla. However, Ken eventually changes his mind.