A special one-off documentary will celebrate the 90th birthday of Coronation Street’s Barbara Knox.

The documentary will air later this year on ITV1 and ITVX.

Knox played the iconic Rita Tanner continuously for more than half a century and she’ll join Bradley Walsh as she looks back on the highlights from her television and theatre career.

The programme is produced by ITV Studios Daytime and it will trace Barbara’s first footsteps into showbiz before she first appeared on Coronation Street in 1964.

Lancashire Telegraph: Barbara Knox played Rita Tanner continuously for more than half a centuryBarbara Knox played Rita Tanner continuously for more than half a century (Image: Dave Thompson/PA)

Barbara will share her most treasured memories from the role which made her famous across the world.

Documentary about the career of Barbara Knox set to air later this year

She will also revisit the site of the infamous tram accident in 1989 and reflect on the moment she was awarded an MBE in 2010.

Candid interviews with Barbara’s co-stars past and present will also feature in the documentary which will celebrate Coronation Street’s longest-serving actress and the impact she has had on television screens. 

Barbara is private and guarded about her life away from set but she’ll share memories and even never before seen photographs of her as a child.

Katie Rawcliffe, Head of Entertainment Commissioning at ITV, said: “It’s easy to throw the words ‘legend’ and ‘icon’ around, but Barbara Knox really does embody both of those terms.

“It’s a privilege to tell the story of one of British television’s most enduring stars as she celebrates a very special birthday.”