Coronation Street fans floored as they're convinced Ken Barlow has been 'replaced'

Coronation Street: Ken and Rita learn Norris has died

Coronation Street fans have been left scratching their heads after suspecting that Ken Barlow might have been "replaced" in the enduring ITV soap.

Ken, iconically portrayed by William Roache, is a stalwart of the show, gracing the streets of Weatherfield since its advent in 1960. At the venerable age of 92, Roache has become synonymous with our living rooms after an impressive tenure of over 63 years on screen. Lately, his character Ken has been central to a gripping drama.

His granddaughter Amy Barlow (Elle Mulvaney), under the influence of Leanne Battersby (Jane Danson), has fallen prey to the dealings of a criminal cult named The Institute.

The cult's leader, Rowan Cunliffe (played by Emrhys Cooper), lured Leanne by exploiting her weaknesses, leading her to inadvertently rope in Amy, hoping it would help her cope with past troubles.

In a recent episode, viewers saw Amy come into a sizeable inheritance from her grandmother Deirdre, only to place it into the hands of The Institute.

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Ken Barlow has distracted Corrie fans (Image: ITV)

However, Amy soon regretted her decision after enduring a traumatic experience orchestrated by the group, prompting her to reclaim her £40,000.

Despite Leanne assuring that retrieving the funds would be straightforward, she soon had to admit complications arose as the money had been forwarded to a "parent company", reports the Liverpool Echo.

This revelation comes as a bombshell to Amy's father Steve McDonald, oblivious until now, who vows to involve the police to retrieve the investment.

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Amy Barlow wants her money back after investing in The Institute (Image: ITV) SUBSCRIBE Invalid email

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Following the broadcast on ITV, Coronation Street's team posted a video to the show's official Instagram account with the succinct caption: "Poor Amy. What has she done? " This prompted a flurry of reactions from the audience.

While a number of fans pointed fingers at Leanne or expressed sympathy for Amy, some questioned Ken's hasty decision to give Amy her inheritance.

Taking to social media, one Corrie viewer said: "Ken would not have been duped like that", as another remarked: "Ken should have at least advised her to not invest her entire £40K. Even if it was a legit business, risking her entire savings was a bad move."

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A third questioned: "Why have they replaced Ken with an unintelligent fool" while another couldn't hide their disbelief: "I can't believe Ken fell for that rubbish".

"Ken would never", simply added another.

Coronation Street airs Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX

Coronation Street fans floored as they're convinced Ken Barlow has been 'replaced'

Coronation Street fans floored as they're convinced Ken Barlow has been 'replaced'

Coronation Street fans floored as they're convinced Ken Barlow has been 'replaced'

Coronation Street fans floored as they're convinced Ken Barlow has been 'replaced'

Coronation Street fans floored as they're convinced Ken Barlow has been 'replaced'