Bill Roache has reportedly renewed his lucrative contract with Coronation Street for another year.

The soap legend, 90, has no plans to leave his role as Ken Barlow anytime soon, and has signed up for another year at the ITV soap with his contract said to be worth a whopping £250,000 per year, according to The Sun.

Bill has portrayed Ken since 1960 when Coronation Street first began, and he was paid £70 per week when he started out.

He currently holds the world record for the longest-serving TV actor in a continuous role and previously told how he hopes to still be on the Cobbles when he's 100 years old.

If he manages to do so, he will become the first 100 year old who is still cast in an ongoing drama.

Bill previously said: “That’s my aim, to be 100 and still working on Coronation Street."

An insider explained how Bill's character Ken has been at "the heart of Coronation Street" since it first began, and ITV bosses already have big plans for Ken lined up.

A Corrie source told The Sun: “Ken Barlow has been at the heart of Coronation Street since it started 62 years ago and that’s not changing any time soon.

"And as we’ve seen with his recent love triangle storyline, he’s no plans to slow down. Bosses have big plans for his character next year.”

Bill received an OBE for services to drama and charity from King Charles III at Windsor Castle on 14 December, and even shared a joke with the monarch about working when getting older and his on-screen character's love life.

Recalling his encounter with the King, Bill explained: “He said, ‘Not still working are you?’. I said, ‘Yes, just had two ex-girlfriends on the show’.

“He said, ‘Oh that must have been work’, and I said, ‘May I wish you a long and joyful reign, sir?’. And he said, ‘Thank you, that will be a lot of work, too’.”

Most recently, his character Ken found himself embroiled in a love triangle with Wendy Crozier (Roberta Kerr) and Martha Fraser, (Stephanie Beacham). However, both ladies eventually snubbed him.

While Bill holds the record for the longest-serving soap star, his co-star Barbara Knox, 89, who plays Rita Tanner, is the second longest-serving actor.

In third and fourth position is EastEnders' Adam Woodyatt, 54, best known for portraying Ian Beale, and Jane Slaughter, 61, who plays Tracey the barmaid in the BBC One soap.

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