Coronation Street fans were left making the same demand after watching one of the show's biggest star's life and career celebrated. Happy Birthday Bill aired on ITV on Tuesday night and paid homage to William Roache ahead of his 90th birthday.
The actor has played Ken Barlow in the much-loved soap since its very first episode on December 9, 1960, making him the Guinness World Record holder for being the longest-running TV soap star. Bill, who turns 90 on April 25, featured in the one-off, hour-long documentary, taking fans and viewers behind the scenes at Corrie as well as showing them around his Cheshire home and taking the cameras with him to events away from the cobbles.
There were also appearances from the soap star's on-screen family, Kate Ford (Tracy Barlow), Chris Gascoyne (Peter Barlow), and Rob Mallard (Daniel Osbourne) as well as some past faces Bill and viewers were very much familiar with. This included a surprise reunion with his first on-screen wife Valerie, played by Anne Reid, and an appearance from Evelyn Plummer star Maureen Lipman and Rula Lenska, who played Ken's girlfriend Claudia Colby in the ITV soap, who arrived in the Rovers with a gift for Bill.
But there was another appearance that caught viewers' eyes and it was that of Joanna Lumley. The Absolutely Fabulous icon appeared in Weatherfield back in the early 70s as Elaine Perkins who was a love interest of Ken's.
Previously discussing her appearance in the soap in 1973, Joanna said: "He asked me, Elaine Perkins, to marry him but being an idiot I turned him down (I had to; it was in the script). And a month later I was back in London with a clutch of letters I had written to every repertory company in the land asking for a job as an assistant or tea-maker or understudy."
Sharing a message to Bill at the end of the ITV documentary, the 75-year-old actress said: "Happy Birthday Bill. I love you and you don't look a day over 27." But her appearance left fans making a major demand.
@ianindarlo said: "Just need Joanna Lumley to return to the Street now...she would be a great addition!"
"#HappyBirthdayBill Wouldn’t it be fab if Joanna lumley came back into #Corrie as Ken’s old flame," @sammysandwch tweeted.
Hwoeer, it was a shock to some as @AndyGibsonTV shared: "SHUT THE FRONT DOOR! I HAD NO IDEA JOANNA LUMLEY WAS IN @ITVCORRIE!"
