Flash Entertainment

Coronation Street legend Bill Roache has admitted that he cried "tears of pride" when he watched the soap's 50th anniversary episodes for the first time.

On Wednesday, members of the show's cast gathered at a special screening of next week's episodes, which feature death and destruction after a tram crashes on to the cobbles.

Speaking at a Coronation Street press conference yesterday, Roache confessed that seeing the disaster scenes was an emotional moment for him following his 50-year stint in the role of Ken Barlow.

He explained: "I had tears of pride to belong to a team who can produce something like that. I think it's not only one of the best things on Coronation Street ever, I think it's one of the best things on television ever."

Antony Cotton - who plays Sean Tully - added: "It's weird watching it! I watch it now as a viewer, because it's all a piece-meal - we all do our little bits in different places, and now it's all together. I'm a fan of the show anyway, but now it's watching it as a viewer like everybody else. It's absolutely gobsmackingly amazing."

Meanwhile, Jennie McAlpine - better known as Fiz Stape on the show - explained that it had been difficult to watch the hard-hitting episodes all in one go.

She said: "I'm so pleased that the viewers are going to get 24 hours between each one, because watching them all together was quite horrific! [They're] amazing, we were just in shock - just brilliant!"