Veteran actor Alan Rothwell, best known for playing David Barlow in the original cast of ITV soap Coronation Street, has died aged 89 after a short illness.<\/p>\n
Born in Oldham, he starred in the programme from its inception in 1960 until 1969, and later appeared in TV series such as Gideon’s Way, The Villains and Brookside.<\/p>\n
Rothwell’s family confirmed the actor “died peacefully in hospital” earlier.<\/p>\n
“Beyond his professional achievements, he was a loving husband, father, grandfather and uncle,” the actor’s family said in a tribute. “He will be fondly remembered and deeply missed.”<\/p>\n
Rothwell also starred in the Channel 4 soap Brookside as Nicholas Black in the 1980s and became a familiar face to generations of viewers as the presenter of the long-running children’s television programmes Picture Box and Hickory House.<\/p>\n
Rothwell’s role in Coronation Street had been written with him in mind – as the creator Tony Warren had worked with him during their childhoods on BBC Radio’s Children’s Hour.<\/p>\n
He was a cast member of the soap for nine years – playing the brother of Ken Barlow, played by William Roache.<\/p>\n
Roache paid tribute to the actor, saying: “I am very sorry to hear of Alan’s passing.<\/p>\n
“He and I worked together on the very first episodes of Coronation Street, which was such a wonderful time, I got to know him well over the years, he was a very good actor and a delightful man.<\/p>\n
“I send my thoughts and condolences to his family.”<\/p>\n
More recently Rothwell made appearances in Doctors, pictured here in 2016 [BBC]<\/p>\n
A spokesperson for Coronation Street said: “We’re very sorry to hear of Alan Rothwell’s passing and extend our sincerest condolences to his family at this very sad time.”<\/p>\n
He created a “memorable character in David Barlow and will forever be remembered as one of the original cast members”, they added.<\/p>\n
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