Coronation Street actor Bill Roache has been charged tonight with two counts of raping a 15-year-old girl.
The 81-year-old actor, who has played strait-laced Ken Barlow for five decades, was arrested during a breakfast time swoop at his home in Wilmslow, Cheshire.
The Crown Prosecution Service confirmed tonight that Mr Roache was charged with the alleged offences which date back to 1967.
The charge is unconnected to Scotland Yard's Operation Yewtree, which is investigating ‘historic’ sex crimes in the wake of the Jimmy Savile scandal.
Roache will not appear in Coronation Street while the police continue to investigate the allegations against him.
Nazir Afzal, Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS North West, said tonight: 'Having completed our review, we have concluded that there is sufficient evidence and it is in the public interest for Mr Roache to be charged with two offences of rape relating to a girl, aged 15, in 1967.
'Mr Roache has a right to a fair trial and it is therefore very important that nothing is said, or reported, which could prejudice that trial.
'For these reasons, it would be inappropriate for me to comment further.'
Roache will appear at Preston Magistrates' Court on May 14.
This is the second set of sex allegations to hit the ITV soap this year, after Michael Le Vell, who plays Kevin Webster, was charged with raping a child in February.
Bill Roache arriving home in Cheshire after it was announced that he has been charged with rape
Charged: Bill Roache was arrested by police in a swoop on his home this morning
Police officers stood guard outside the gates of Bill Roache's home in Wilmslow, Cheshire, today
Home: News of Roache's arrest came after a number of officers were seen outside his house
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