Corrie’s Bill Roache granted compassionate leave as daughter passes away

Bill Roache

by Emma Dodds |
Updated on

Coronation Street actor Bill Roache's daughter has died suddenly at the age of 50

Bill Roache's eldest daughter Vanya has tragically passed away at the age of 50.

Bill, 85, who has starred on Coronation Street since its very first episode in 1960, has apparently been granted compassionate leave from the soap for as long as he needs.

Vanya, Bill's eldest daughter from his marriage to first wife Anna Cropper, reportedly died on Friday, and is the second of his children to pass away.

GALLERY: RIP to all the celebs who passed away in 2017

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He also lost daughter Edwina with his second wife Sara Mottram to pneumonia at just 18 months in 1983, and Sara too suddenly passed away in 2009 aged 58.

According to the Daily Mail, Vanya died of liver failure, and the publication spoke to her fiancé Toby Evans at their home in Chichester.

He told them: "We are very private people, all the family are and so we don't really want to speak about it.

"Vanya was a nice person, a lovely person. It was a liver failure that she died of, it happened very quickly. But I don't really want to talk about it, we're very private people."

The publication also report that she discussed a hospital visit in August 2017 after suffering from low potassium and low blood pressure.

Bill Roache at home with his first wife, Anna Cropper, and their children Linus and Vanya in 1970

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Bill Roache children 1970

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Bill Roache

A source told The Sun: "Bill is utterly heartbroken. No father should have to go through the loss of a child, let alone two," adding that he was "very upset."

They also said that after being told about Vanya on Friday, ITV have advised him to take as long as he needs off, saying: "There’s no word just yet on when he’ll return."

Vanya was engaged to be married to her fiancé Toby who she was living with before her death in Chichester.

Vanya Roache
Vanya with the late Anne Kirkbride, who played Bill's on-screen wife Deirdre Barlow ©Facebook

She previously fell out with Bill after he had an affair while married to her mother Anna, telling The Sun in 1999 that she "didn't feel sorry for him" after he "walked out on" them.

However, they had reunited by 2014 after Bill was acquitted for rape and sex abuse charges.

Our thoughts are with Bill and his family at this difficult time. ❤️

WATCH: Bill Roache opens up about how 50 years of Coronation Street has affected his life on This Morning

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