Coronation Street’s William Roache will pay tribute to Anne Kirkbride during tonight’s NTAs

Coronation Street star William Roache will lead a heart-wrenching tribute to his on-screen wife Anne Kirkbride at tonight’s National Television Awards 2015 after the Deirdre Barlow actress died on Monday.

The 82-year-old actor, who plays Deirdre’s husband Ken Barlow, said in a statement that he was “blessed” to have worked with Anne for 40 years.

And at the NTAs tonight, he’ll take to the stage to give an emotional speech about their working partnership and how she’ll be greatly missed by the rest of the Corrie cast.

An NTA spokesperson said: “William Roache will be leading the tributes to Anne Kirkbride at the National Television Awards, with her close friends, family and cast members in the audience.”

Speaking on Tuesday after news of Anne’s death had broken, William said: “She was an impeccable performer with superb comedy timing and an immense gift for really heightened drama. We had some rows over the years as Ken and Deirdre and it was wonderful to play those scenes opposite her.

“Coronation Street has lost one of its iconic characters and Anne will be greatly missed.”

He went on to describe her as “a loving and vibrant person” whose laugh “was never far away”.

It’s been revealed today that William was one of the few people at 60-year-old Anne’s bedside hours before she died, along with her best friend Bev Callard and her husband David Beckett.

While her family have not commented on the cause of her death, it’s thought to be connected to the cancer she had previously beaten in the 1990s.

The whole cast of Coronation Street may well find another way to honour their late colleague at the NTAs later – and could even win the Best Serial Drama award thanks to a flurry of late votes from members of the public affected by the sad news.

IN TRIBUTE: Deirdre Barlow's Coronation Street highlights