James Roache Explained

James Roache
Birth Name:William James Roache
Birth Date:29 December 1985
Birth Place:United Kingdom
Occupation:Actor
Years Active:2005–2011
Parents:William Roache
Sara McEwan Mottram
Relatives:Linus Roache (half-brother)

William James Roache (born 29 December 1985) is an English actor who is perhaps best known for his roles in connection with his father William Roache. In Coronation Street he played James, the long-lost grandson of Ken Barlow (played by his father). He also played the role of his own father William as a young man in the ITV drama The Road to Coronation Street.

Personal life

Roache was educated at Oxford Brookes University.[1] He is the son of William Roache and the late Sarah Roache and the half-brother of actor Linus Roache.[2]

Career

Roache has appeared on popular television shows such as Cold Blood and Four Seasons before going on to join the cast of Coronation Street alongside his father and older brother as part of a storyline surrounding Ken Barlow and his long-lost son, played by his real-life son Linus. The characters were introduced as part of the soap's fiftieth anniversary. Linus Roache played Roache's father Laurence on Coronation Street which saw the pair's relationship strained by Laurence's attitudes towards James' homosexuality. The storyline was left open, and both executive producer Phil Collinson and William Roache have expressed interest in revisiting the story in the future.

He then appeared in The Road to Coronation Street, playing a younger version of his father William Roache during the time Coronation Street creator Tony Warren was attempting to bring the soap to television.

It was announced on 20 December 2010 that Roache would be joining the cast of Coronation Street full-time in 2011[3] reprising the role of James Cunningham. He returned on 29 April 2011 and departed in July 2011.

Filmography

Year TitleRoleNote
2005The Marchioness DisasterMatthew
2006Sellafield Student Presentervoiceover
The Innocence ProjectStuart
2007Cold BloodJoss
Rise of the Foot SoldierHappy Eater Waiter
2009Four SeasonsLucas Conroy
2010The Road to Coronation StreetWilliam Roache / Ken Barlow
2010–2011Coronation StreetJames CunninghamRecurring role

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 28 September 2013 . The Actors Centre Showcase . 2020-12-14 . https://archive.today/20100529175131/http://showcase.dingothief.com/past-shows/2010-march/james-roache/ . 29 May 2010 . dead.
  2. Web site: James Roache. IMDb. 2017-04-02.
  3. Web site: Corrie: Ken's grandson, played by James Roache, is set to return. Coronation Street . ITV.com . 2012-01-26 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121013004151/http://www.itv.com/coronationstreet/news/jamesroachereturns/ . 2012-10-13 .