Real life of Coronation Street's Rita Tanner actress Barbara Knox - milestone age, divorces and retirement plans

It's fair to say that Barbara Knox is a legend when it comes to her years on Coronation Street. She has played Rita in the ITV soap for more than 50 years after an initial one-off appearance as the exotic dancer, Rita Littlewood, in 1964 before returning as a full-time cast member eight years later.

Well known as the owner of ‘The Kabin’, which Rita took over in 1973, her many sidekicks include other Corrie legends Mavis Riley and Norris Cole. Rita has also had three husbands over the years - Len Fairclough, Ted Sullivan and Dennis Tanner - and holds the record for receiving more marriage proposals than any other character, a whopping 15 from 12 different men.

And she has also become known for being something of a mother figure to a number of the street’s residents including Sharon Gaskell, Jenny Bradley, Sally Webster, Leanne Battersby, Tina McIntyre and Gemma Winter.

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But she's also had a fair share of drama over the years as who can forget back in 1989, when thuggish Alan secretly mortgaged Rita's house to pay for his business and assaulted her when she found out. Alan then met his end in Blackpool when he was hit by a tram while chasing Rita through the seaside resort. There was also December 2010, when Rita was trapped in The Kabin when a tram crashed into the shop.

It's fair to say that as one of the longest-standing Weatherfield residents, she is much-loved among fans of the long-running soap. But, in real life, Barbara is fiercely private. What we do know is that she recently celebrated her 90th birthday on September 30, and is the