Coronation Street of youthful rebellion. Though the rest of the original Barlow family were killed off before the end of the 1970s, Ken, who for 27 years was the only character from the first episode remaining, has remained the constant link throughout the entire series. In 2011, Dennis Tanner (Philip Lowrie), another character from the first episode, returned to "Coronation Street" after a 43-year absence. Since 1984, Ken Barlow has been the show's only remaining original character. Emily Bishop (Eileen Derbyshire) had appeared in the series since late-January 1961, when the show was just weeks old, and was the show's longest-serving female
Paul Connor (Coronation Street) no longer a guest member. Prior to the characters arrival, a "Coronation Street" insider claimed that little was known about the Connor brothers, aside from the fact that they're in the rag trade and started out on the markets. The insider speculated that Paul and his brother are just on the right side of the law, though not out-and-out villainous. Upon their arrival, the brothers were planned to cause trouble for Danny Baldwin (Bradley Walsh). Early in 2007, actor Sean Gallagher's resignation from the soap opera was revealed. "Coronation Street" scriptwriters planned for his character to be killed off. During