Bill Roache among Corrie and Emmerdale stars to meet speaker at House of Commons

Coronation Street’s Bill Roache swapped the cobbles for the Commons at a special soap celebration.

The screen legend, 90, was one of a host of Corrie and Emmerdale cast, writers and crew members invited to the House of Commons to meet the speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle.

Other actors at the event, which celebrated continuing drama in the North, included Corrie's Barbara Knox and Sally Dynevor and Emmerdale stars Jeff Hordley and Nicola Wheeler.

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Hoyle – who is MP for Chorley – tweeted: "I am so proud to welcome @itvcorrie and @emmerdale cast members, writers, directors and crew to the state apartments.

"This year marks half a century of Emmerdale and 63 years of Coronation Street.

"Two of Britain's most well-known institutions – both exports from the North."

The speaker said the serials were "two of the best-loved, hard-hitting dramas in the UK" and that their "storytelling touches on really important social issues".

"Its been great to celebrate more than 11 decades of continuing drama from the North in the House of Commons today," he added.

Chris Bisson, who stars as Vikram Desai in Corrie, also tweeted a series of snaps from the event.

"We celebrated 50 years of Emmerdale and 60 years of Corrie last night," he told fans.

"Get me... Tea in the HoC!

"Thanks to The Speaker and Catherine for their hospitality. Wonderful evening."

Corrie, which is set in the fictional town of Weatherfield in Greater Manchester, has been on air since 1960.

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Emmerdale, which is set in a pretend village in the Yorkshire Dales, began in 1972 and at that time was called Emmerdale Farm.

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