SPOILER ALERT: Corrie Characters Finally Explain Ken Barlow’s Disappearance

This is the week Ken Barlow's absence from the cobbles of Coronation Street will finally be addressed onscreen.

The ITV soap's longest-running character is absent from the soap at the moment as actor Bill Roache is facing charges of rape and indecent assault.

Ken was last seen at the end of April when his daughter Tracy caused tension by inviting her new boyfriend Rob Donovan to dinner at the Barlow's, Digital Spy reports. 

A double bill this Friday will see his wife Deirdre explain how he has flown off to Canada.

Ken supposedly made the trip after his grandson Adam suffered a shock collapse.

Bill Roache will face trial next January. 

Deirdre tells Tracy: "Canada is a long way away and he's got no other family. Blacking out like that is frightening, and he collapsed at work."

Tracy replies: "So dad just drops everything. You know something, I can't imagine he would ever do anything like that for me."

Bill Roache was charged with two counts of rape involving a 15-year-old girl int he 1960s on May 1st.

He was later charged with five indecent assaults against four girls aged between 11 or 12 and 16, but denies all of the allegations.

The 81-year-old will next appear in court in September and a provisional trial date has been set for January 13th.